Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dharan and Kathmandu

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharan: $56.9 a month against $481 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

17

Cost of Living Index in Dharan
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Dharan Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
Learn more

Kathmandu Living Index

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Dharan

🇳🇵 Nepal

$56.9

/mo nomad

Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$481

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dharan 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 Dharan and in Kathmandu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $56.9 per month in Dharan vs $481 in Kathmandu, rent included.

Dharan $56.9
Kathmandu $481

A couple spends around $89.7 per month in Dharan vs $767 in Kathmandu, rent included.

Dharan $89.7
Kathmandu $767

A family of three spends $122 per month in Dharan vs $1,052 in Kathmandu, rent included.

Dharan $122
Kathmandu $1,052

Dharan is about 88% cheaper than Kathmandu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dharan and Kathmandu are more affordable than the global median – Dharan 96% lower, Kathmandu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 NPR 309

$1.94 NPR 300

2.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.45 NPR 3,165

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 NPR 1,194

Cappuccino

$1.64 NPR 254

$1.51 NPR 233

8.61%

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

$0.40 NPR 62.1

$0.49 NPR 76.5

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 NPR 20.65

$0.16 NPR 24.27

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 NPR 471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NPR 506

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 118

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 NPR 67.0

$0.62 NPR 96.3

-30.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 NPR 131

Eggs

$1.65 NPR 255

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 NPR 1,106

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 NPR 399

$3.18 NPR 492

-18.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 NPR 917

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 NPR 313

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 NPR 179

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 NPR 222

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 NPR 82.5

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 NPR 59.0

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 NPR 82.6

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 NPR 69.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 33.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 NPR 385

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 NPR 1,211

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 NPR 355

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 NPR 476

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 NPR 26.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.64 NPR 1,493

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 NPR 285

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 NPR 183

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 NPR 492

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 NPR 177

$1.33 NPR 207

-14.29%

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

$28.7K NPR 4.4M

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

$36.0K NPR 5.6M

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

$31.63 NPR 4,895

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

$3.48 NPR 538

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 NPR 1,384

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 NPR 3,323

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.71 NPR 1,038

Cinema Ticket

$1.90 NPR 294

$3.00 NPR 465

-36.67%

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

$66.8 NPR 10.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,541 NPR 857.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.59 NPR 3,806

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.39 NPR 4,084

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 NPR 9,761

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.31 NPR 4,381

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 NPR 33.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 NPR 15.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 NPR 66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 NPR 30.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,248 NPR 347.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,338 NPR 207.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 NPR 40.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.72

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

Last update for Dharan: October 6, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Eating Out

Dharan

$38 * 64.3%

Kathmandu

$81 16.9% 114% $43

Groceries & Markets

Dharan

$17 * 29.3%

Kathmandu

$144 30.1% 738% $127

Sport & Entertainment

Dharan

$3.8 * 6.5%

Kathmandu

$27 5.7% 625% $24

Getting Around

Dharan

- * 0%

Kathmandu

$18 3.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dharan

- * 0%

Kathmandu

$44 9.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Dharan

- * 0%

Kathmandu

$64 13.4%

Accommodation & Living

Dharan

- * 0%

Kathmandu

$101 21%

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

Good to know

🇳🇵 Dharan

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

Same time as Dharan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

173,096

975,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.77 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Dharan Kathmandu 220 km

From you

Dharan
Kathmandu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Dharan vs Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu costs about 746% more than Dharan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $85.4 per month in Dharan and $722 in Kathmandu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $56.9 in Dharan and $481 in Kathmandu. That's a gap of about 746%.

Groceries cost about 737% more in Kathmandu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $56.9 in Dharan and $481 in Kathmandu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Dharan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dharan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kathmandu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.