Cost of Living Comparison Between Butwal and Nepalgunj Cost of Living Comparison Between Butwal and Nepalgunj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $358 in Butwal versus $398 in Nepalgunj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $622 in Butwal versus $666 in Nepalgunj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $886 in Butwal versus $935 in Nepalgunj.

Living in Butwal costs roughly 10% less than in Nepalgunj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Butwal 73% lower, Nepalgunj 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.84 NPR 280

$1.83 NPR 280

0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.04 NPR 2,906

$18.77 NPR 2,864

1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 NPR 974

$6.71 NPR 1,025

-4.92%

Cappuccino

$1.50 NPR 229

$1.53 NPR 234

-1.96%

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

$0.53 NPR 81.1

$0.50 NPR 76.9

6.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 NPR 18.73

$0.19 NPR 28.80

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 NPR 400

$2.66 NPR 406

-1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 NPR 300

$3.56 NPR 543

-44.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 NPR 110

$0.75 NPR 114

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 NPR 74.7

$0.55 NPR 83.9

-10.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 NPR 126

$0.82 NPR 125

1.22%

Eggs

$1.43 NPR 219

$1.71 NPR 260

-16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 NPR 1,390

$7.52 NPR 1,148

21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 NPR 471

$3.11 NPR 475

-0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 NPR 942

$5.99 NPR 914

3.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 NPR 346

$2.26 NPR 344

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 NPR 132

$1.05 NPR 160

-17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 NPR 181

$1.21 NPR 184

-1.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 98.4

$0.70 NPR 107

-8.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 73.1

$0.48 NPR 73.6

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 NPR 103

$0.64 NPR 98.4

4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 NPR 74.7

$0.53 NPR 81.3

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 NPR 37.72

$0.27 NPR 41.30

-7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 NPR 452

$2.88 NPR 440

2.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 NPR 982

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NPR 358

$2.28 NPR 348

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NPR 326

$3.19 NPR 487

-33.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 NPR 29.76

$0.21 NPR 32.28

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.15 NPR 1,397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 NPR 286

$2.21 NPR 337

-15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NPR 114

$0.82 NPR 126

-9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NPR 449

$3.60 NPR 549

-18.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 NPR 195

$1.24 NPR 189

3.23%

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

$32.0K NPR 4.9M

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

-1.41%

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

$27.0K NPR 4.1M

$41.1K NPR 6.3M

-34.34%

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

$14.64 NPR 2,235

$26.27 NPR 4,009

-44.27%

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

$4.97 NPR 758

$4.85 NPR 741

2.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.76 NPR 1,490

$9.92 NPR 1,514

-1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.46 NPR 2,207

$18.12 NPR 2,766

-20.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 NPR 1,682

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 NPR 463

$2.67 NPR 408

13.86%

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

$24.19 NPR 3,692

$71.8 NPR 11.0K

-66.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$882 NPR 134.6K

$2,789 NPR 425.6K

-68.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.98 NPR 3,813

$24.61 NPR 3,756

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.46 NPR 4,191

$27.58 NPR 4,209

-0.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.07 NPR 5,658

$44.64 NPR 6,814

-16.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.85 NPR 3,640

$29.35 NPR 4,480

-18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$52.0 NPR 7,930

$107 NPR 16.3K

-51.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$30.77 NPR 4,696

$63.4 NPR 9,670

-51.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 NPR 22.3K

$208 NPR 31.8K

-29.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 NPR 16.9K

$146 NPR 22.2K

-23.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K NPR 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$123 NPR 18.8K

$97.6 NPR 14.9K

26.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

-0.66%

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

Last update for Butwal: July 25, 2026

Last update for Nepalgunj: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $52.0 in Butwal and $107 in Nepalgunj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Butwal pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Butwal vs $19.00 in Nepalgunj. Groceries flip the comparison at $144 vs $131, with Nepalgunj cheaper for home cooking.

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

Butwal vs Nepalgunj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butwal wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Nepalgunj. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butwal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Butwal, 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: $52.0 in Butwal versus $107 in Nepalgunj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $24.19 in Butwal versus $71.8 in Nepalgunj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Butwal – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $19.00 in Nepalgunj. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Butwal 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 Butwal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Nepalgunj. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.