Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Biratnagar and Kathmandu

For one person, living is cheaper in Biratnagar: $319 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

$319

/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: $319 in Biratnagar versus $485 in Kathmandu.

Biratnagar $319
Kathmandu $485

Estimated couple costs with rent: $524 in Biratnagar versus $780 in Kathmandu.

Biratnagar $524
Kathmandu $780

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $730 in Biratnagar versus $1,075 in Kathmandu.

Biratnagar $730
Kathmandu $1,075

Living in Biratnagar costs roughly 34% 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

$1.51 NPR 229

$2.02 NPR 307

-25.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.13 NPR 2,147

$20.42 NPR 3,103

-30.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 NPR 1,172

$7.46 NPR 1,134

3.35%

Cappuccino

$1.19 NPR 181

$1.51 NPR 230

-21.19%

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

$0.34 NPR 52.1

$0.55 NPR 83.8

-38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 NPR 226

$3.24 NPR 492

-54.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NPR 327

$3.24 NPR 492

-33.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.57 NPR 86.1

$0.73 NPR 111

-21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 NPR 58.5

$0.63 NPR 95.9

-38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 97.0

$0.87 NPR 132

-26.44%

Eggs

$1.20 NPR 182

$1.76 NPR 268

-31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 NPR 683

$7.37 NPR 1,119

-39.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 NPR 405

$3.07 NPR 466

-13.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.14 NPR 477

$5.99 NPR 909

-47.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 NPR 306

$2.07 NPR 314

-2.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 NPR 113

$1.16 NPR 176

-36.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 NPR 196

$1.45 NPR 221

-11.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 74.3

$0.55 NPR 84.0

-10.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.7

$0.39 NPR 59.0

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 NPR 65.1

$0.50 NPR 76.7

-14.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 NPR 41.06

$0.45 NPR 68.8

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 NPR 41.89

$0.22 NPR 33.43

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 NPR 388

$2.52 NPR 383

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 NPR 1,175

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 NPR 243

$2.32 NPR 352

-31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 NPR 354

$3.05 NPR 463

-23.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 NPR 26.16

$0.22 NPR 33.25

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 NPR 1,801

$10.04 NPR 1,525

18.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 NPR 293

$1.76 NPR 267

9.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 NPR 186

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 NPR 353

$3.40 NPR 516

-31.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 NPR 181

$1.35 NPR 206

-11.85%

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

$21.2K NPR 3.2M

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

-42.36%

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

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

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

$32.06 NPR 4,872

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

$4.23 NPR 643

$3.59 NPR 545

17.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.08 NPR 1,379

$9.24 NPR 1,404

-1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.91 NPR 4,240

$21.94 NPR 3,334

27.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.99 NPR 303

$6.76 NPR 1,027

-70.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.14 NPR 476

$2.98 NPR 453

5.37%

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

$47.49 NPR 7,216

$67.8 NPR 10.3K

-29.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,727 NPR 262.4K

$5,618 NPR 853.6K

-69.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.02 NPR 3,042

$24.01 NPR 3,648

-16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.54 NPR 4,945

$26.88 NPR 4,084

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.35 NPR 3,699

$64.8 NPR 9,838

-62.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.47 NPR 4,477

$29.17 NPR 4,432

1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$46.59 NPR 7,079

$220 NPR 33.4K

-78.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 NPR 7,981

$101 NPR 15.4K

-48.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$129 NPR 19.7K

$433 NPR 65.8K

-70.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.1 NPR 15.1K

$201 NPR 30.5K

-50.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$397 NPR 60.4K

$2,355 NPR 357.8K

-83.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$260 NPR 39.4K

$1,334 NPR 202.7K

-80.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$160 NPR 24.3K

$261 NPR 39.7K

-38.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.98

40.28%

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

Last update for Biratnagar: October 20, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Biratnagar

$94 * 29.6%

Kathmandu

$145 29.9% 53.9% $51

Eating Out

Biratnagar

$63 * 19.6%

Kathmandu

$82 17% 31.4% $20

Accommodation & Living

Biratnagar

$53 16.5%

Kathmandu

$101 20.9% 92.8% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Biratnagar

$48 15%

Kathmandu

$65 13.4% 36.1% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Biratnagar

$34 10.7%

Kathmandu

$28 5.8% 18.3% $6.3

Getting Around

Biratnagar

$14 * 4.5%

Kathmandu

$19 3.9% 29.9% $4.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Biratnagar

$13 * 4.2%

Kathmandu

$45 9.3% 237% $32

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 $46.59 in Biratnagar and $220 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 63% 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 $94.0 vs $145 per month, with Biratnagar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Biratnagar

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🕒 Local time

16:35 4:35 PM

Same time as Biratnagar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

166,674

975,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Biratnagar Kathmandu 240 km

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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 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 63% 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: $46.59 in Biratnagar versus $220 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% 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 52% less than in Kathmandu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.