Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Biratnagar and Kathmandu

For one person, living is cheaper in Biratnagar: $317 a month against $485 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

15

Cost of Living Index in Biratnagar
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Biratnagar Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
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Kathmandu Living Index

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Biratnagar

🇳🇵 Nepal

$317

/mo nomad

Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$485

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Biratnagar and in Kathmandu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Biratnagar and in Kathmandu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $317 in Biratnagar versus $485 in Kathmandu.

Biratnagar $317
Kathmandu $485

Estimated couple costs with rent: $523 in Biratnagar versus $776 in Kathmandu.

Biratnagar $523
Kathmandu $776

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $728 in Biratnagar versus $1,067 in Kathmandu.

Biratnagar $728
Kathmandu $1,067

Living in Biratnagar costs roughly 35% less than in Kathmandu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Biratnagar 76% lower, Kathmandu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 NPR 238

$2.00 NPR 306

-22.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.08 NPR 2,148

$20.16 NPR 3,077

-30.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 NPR 1,157

$7.64 NPR 1,165

-0.79%

Cappuccino

$1.16 NPR 177

$1.52 NPR 232

-23.68%

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

$0.34 NPR 52.4

$0.54 NPR 83.0

-37.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 23.24

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 NPR 218

$3.18 NPR 485

-55.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NPR 319

$3.34 NPR 509

-37.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 NPR 88.3

$0.76 NPR 116

-23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 NPR 53.8

$0.62 NPR 95.0

-43.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 97.7

$0.87 NPR 133

-26.44%

Eggs

$1.22 NPR 186

$1.66 NPR 253

-26.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 NPR 680

$7.51 NPR 1,145

-40.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.68 NPR 409

$3.08 NPR 470

-12.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.14 NPR 479

$6.02 NPR 918

-47.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 NPR 301

$2.07 NPR 316

-4.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 NPR 125

$1.19 NPR 181

-31.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 NPR 198

$1.37 NPR 209

-5.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 NPR 79.0

$0.54 NPR 81.9

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.6

$0.38 NPR 58.2

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 NPR 67.0

$0.54 NPR 82.5

-18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 NPR 37.80

$0.49 NPR 74.7

-48.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 NPR 42.59

$0.22 NPR 33.38

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 NPR 401

$2.41 NPR 368

9.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 NPR 1,161

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NPR 252

$2.20 NPR 335

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NPR 350

$2.99 NPR 456

-23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 NPR 24.78

$0.22 NPR 34.09

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 NPR 1,789

$9.76 NPR 1,488

20.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 NPR 294

$1.74 NPR 265

10.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 NPR 173

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 NPR 352

$3.33 NPR 508

-30.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 NPR 181

$1.41 NPR 215

-15.60%

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

$21.1K NPR 3.2M

$29.8K NPR 4.6M

-29.32%

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

$36.4K NPR 5.5M

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

$31.62 NPR 4,825

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

$4.17 NPR 637

$3.42 NPR 522

21.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.22 NPR 1,407

$8.97 NPR 1,368

2.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.24 NPR 4,309

$22.13 NPR 3,377

27.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.93 NPR 295

$6.76 NPR 1,031

-71.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 NPR 468

$2.89 NPR 440

6.23%

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

$47.46 NPR 7,241

$66.1 NPR 10.1K

-28.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,712 NPR 261.2K

$5,484 NPR 836.8K

-68.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.07 NPR 3,061

$24.88 NPR 3,796

-19.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.33 NPR 4,933

$26.17 NPR 3,993

23.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.72 NPR 3,772

$63.0 NPR 9,613

-60.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.85 NPR 4,402

$28.83 NPR 4,399

0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$45.10 NPR 6,882

$218 NPR 33.2K

-79.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.2 NPR 7,807

$104 NPR 15.9K

-50.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 NPR 19.9K

$433 NPR 66.1K

-69.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.5 NPR 15.0K

$198 NPR 30.3K

-50.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$395 NPR 60.2K

$2,296 NPR 350.3K

-82.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$262 NPR 40.0K

$1,340 NPR 204.5K

-80.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 NPR 25.1K

$267 NPR 40.7K

-38.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.72

44.03%

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

Last update for Biratnagar: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Biratnagar

$95 * 29.8%

Kathmandu

$145 29.8% 52.6% $50

Eating Out

Biratnagar

$62 * 19.5%

Kathmandu

$83 17% 33.5% $21

Accommodation & Living

Biratnagar

$51 16.1%

Kathmandu

$104 21.4% 103% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Biratnagar

$48 15%

Kathmandu

$64 13.3% 34.8% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Biratnagar

$34 10.8%

Kathmandu

$28 5.8% 18.8% $6.5

Getting Around

Biratnagar

$14 * 4.5%

Kathmandu

$18 3.7% 26.4% $3.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Biratnagar

$13 * 4.2%

Kathmandu

$44 9.1% 228% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $45.10 in Biratnagar and $218 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 62% 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: $14.00 in Biratnagar vs $20.00 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $145 per month, with Biratnagar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Biratnagar

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🕒 Local time

19:06 7:06 PM

Same time as Biratnagar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

166,674

975,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.55 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.87 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.55 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.87 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Biratnagar vs Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Biratnagar is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in Kathmandu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $45.10 in Biratnagar versus $218 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Kathmandu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Biratnagar – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $20.00 in Kathmandu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Biratnagar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Biratnagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Kathmandu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.