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: $357 in Butwal versus $402 in Nepalgunj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $628 in Butwal versus $668 in Nepalgunj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $900 in Butwal versus $935 in Nepalgunj.

Living in Butwal costs roughly 11% 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

$1.80 NPR 273

$1.77 NPR 269

1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.27 NPR 2,933

$19.12 NPR 2,910

0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.57 NPR 1,000

$6.38 NPR 971

2.98%

Cappuccino

$1.50 NPR 228

$1.54 NPR 235

-2.60%

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

$0.50 NPR 75.6

$0.50 NPR 75.7

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 NPR 17.73

$0.15 NPR 23.11

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 NPR 383

$2.66 NPR 405

-5.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NPR 310

$3.57 NPR 543

-42.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 NPR 101

$0.75 NPR 114

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 NPR 75.5

$0.55 NPR 83.4

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 NPR 121

$0.78 NPR 118

1.28%

Eggs

$1.48 NPR 225

$1.65 NPR 252

-10.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 NPR 1,374

$7.58 NPR 1,153

19.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 NPR 494

$3.09 NPR 471

4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 NPR 926

$6.15 NPR 936

-0.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 NPR 343

$2.25 NPR 342

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 NPR 131

$1.09 NPR 165

-21.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 190

$1.19 NPR 181

5.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 97.8

$0.65 NPR 98.6

-1.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 72.3

$0.45 NPR 68.1

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 104

$0.65 NPR 98.4

4.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 80.6

$0.49 NPR 74.3

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.11

$0.27 NPR 41.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 NPR 439

$2.86 NPR 435

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 NPR 998

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NPR 355

$2.27 NPR 346

2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NPR 339

$3.37 NPR 513

-33.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 NPR 25.96

$0.18 NPR 26.93

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.90 NPR 1,354

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 NPR 283

$2.15 NPR 327

-13.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 NPR 106

$0.82 NPR 125

-14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 NPR 453

$3.56 NPR 542

-16.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 187

$1.22 NPR 186

0.82%

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

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

-0.31%

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

$27.5K NPR 4.2M

$40.4K NPR 6.1M

-31.98%

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

$14.35 NPR 2,184

$26.06 NPR 3,965

-44.93%

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

$4.85 NPR 737

$5.01 NPR 762

-3.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.40 NPR 1,430

$9.92 NPR 1,509

-5.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.81 NPR 2,253

$18.30 NPR 2,785

-19.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.10 NPR 1,689

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 NPR 464

$2.69 NPR 410

13.38%

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

$24.79 NPR 3,772

$71.9 NPR 10.9K

-65.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$883 NPR 134.4K

$2,748 NPR 418.1K

-67.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.84 NPR 3,780

$24.56 NPR 3,737

1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.29 NPR 4,153

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.20 NPR 5,508

$45.32 NPR 6,896

-20.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.21 NPR 3,531

$28.71 NPR 4,369

-19.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$51.1 NPR 7,779

$103 NPR 15.7K

-50.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$30.50 NPR 4,641

$64.1 NPR 9,757

-52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 NPR 22.5K

$203 NPR 31.0K

-27.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 NPR 17.0K

$146 NPR 22.2K

-23.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.2K NPR 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$121 NPR 18.4K

$97.2 NPR 14.8K

24.30%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nepalgunj: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $51.1 in Butwal and $103 in Nepalgunj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Butwal pays 24% 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 13% 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.

Butwal pays 24% 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: $51.1 in Butwal versus $103 in Nepalgunj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $24.79 in Butwal versus $71.9 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 13% less than in Nepalgunj. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.