Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Kathmandu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Kathmandu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $566 in Bangalore versus $501 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $962 in Bangalore versus $782 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,357 in Bangalore versus $1,063 in Kathmandu.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 13% more expensive than Kathmandu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Kathmandu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 ₹332

$1.78 NPR 266

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.72 ₹1,651

$19.20 NPR 2,862

-7.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₹380

$6.65 NPR 991

-38.65%

Cappuccino

$2.31 ₹216

$1.90 NPR 284

21.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₹39.76

$0.49 NPR 73.8

-12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹14.81

$0.15 NPR 22.74

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₹219

$2.55 NPR 380

-7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 ₹384

$3.62 NPR 540

13.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹56.4

$0.89 NPR 132

-31.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹57.5

$0.54 NPR 80.8

14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₹82.0

$0.94 NPR 139

-6.38%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹97.1

$1.77 NPR 264

-41.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 ₹718

$9.22 NPR 1,375

-16.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ₹363

$3.12 NPR 465

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.05 NPR 902

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 ₹234

$2.18 NPR 326

15.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹70.3

$1.09 NPR 162

-31.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₹106

$1.25 NPR 187

-8.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 ₹40.63

$0.65 NPR 96.4

-32.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹44.43

$0.49 NPR 72.8

-2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 ₹46.87

$0.72 NPR 107

-30.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₹44.08

$0.50 NPR 74.0

-6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.03

$0.25 NPR 36.92

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ₹369

$2.85 NPR 425

38.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 ₹975

$6.66 NPR 993

57.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₹201

$2.34 NPR 350

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ₹315

$3.35 NPR 499

0.90%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$7.63 ₹711

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₹52.0

$0.23 NPR 34.39

143.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.65 ₹1,365

$10.79 NPR 1,608

35.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹110

$2.21 NPR 329

-46.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹30.62

$1.07 NPR 159

-69.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 ₹216

$3.67 NPR 546

-36.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹114

$1.26 NPR 188

-2.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$14.2K ₹1.3M

$31.7K NPR 4.7M

-55.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.8K ₹2.3M

$41.2K NPR 6.1M

-39.86%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$34.75 ₹3,238

$32.83 NPR 4,894

5.85%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$5.14 ₹479

$5.00 NPR 746

2.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 ₹995

$9.86 NPR 1,469

8.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.13 ₹1,689

$21.99 NPR 3,277

-17.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 ₹561

$7.17 NPR 1,069

-16.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹438

$3.32 NPR 494

41.57%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$114 ₹10.6K

$93.0 NPR 13.9K

22.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,344 ₹311.6K

$3,703 NPR 552.0K

-9.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.56 ₹2,568

$24.62 NPR 3,670

11.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.39 ₹2,738

$27.47 NPR 4,095

6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 ₹5,056

$58.3 NPR 8,688

-6.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.16 ₹3,742

$40.32 NPR 6,010

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₹28.0K

$192 NPR 28.6K

56.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹16.7K

$99.7 NPR 14.9K

79.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 ₹77.4K

$347 NPR 51.8K

139.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₹44.4K

$189 NPR 28.2K

152.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 ₹165.4K

$2,382 NPR 355.1K

-25.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$937 ₹87.3K

$1,359 NPR 202.6K

-31.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$849 ₹79.1K

$241 NPR 36.0K

251.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

12.08

-23.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangalore: April 11, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $301 in Bangalore and $192 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 252% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18 in Bangalore vs $19 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $133 vs $152 per month, with Bangalore cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bangalore vs Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bangalore pays 252% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $301 in Bangalore versus $192 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kathmandu runs roughly 36% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Bangalore versus $93.0 in Kathmandu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kathmandu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $501 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.