Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $499 per month in Kathmandu vs $466 in Alexandria, rent included.

A couple spends around $787 per month in Kathmandu vs $773 in Alexandria, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,075 per month in Kathmandu vs $1,080 in Alexandria, rent included.

Kathmandu costs about 7% more than Alexandria, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kathmandu and Alexandria are more affordable than the global median – Kathmandu 64% lower, Alexandria 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 NPR 312

$4.49 E£230

-54.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.56 NPR 3,144

$16.77 E£860

22.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 NPR 1,000

$4.72 E£242

38.56%

Cappuccino

$1.60 NPR 245

$1.31 E£67.4

22.14%

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

$0.61 NPR 93.2

$0.32 E£16.28

90.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 23.66

$0.14 E£7.25

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 NPR 499

$1.39 E£71.1

134.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 NPR 568

$2.97 E£152

24.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 NPR 115

$0.86 E£43.87

-12.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 NPR 90.9

$0.72 E£36.92

-18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 NPR 144

$0.61 E£31.54

54.10%

Eggs

$1.67 NPR 255

$1.23 E£63.2

35.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 NPR 1,112

$3.80 E£195

91.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 NPR 522

$4.58 E£235

-25.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.49 NPR 839

$9.45 E£485

-41.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 NPR 311

$1.63 E£83.7

25.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 NPR 168

$0.74 E£37.82

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 NPR 219

$0.58 E£29.77

146.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 NPR 89.4

$0.36 E£18.23

61.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.9

$0.27 E£13.96

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 NPR 84.1

$0.31 E£15.66

77.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 NPR 69.3

$0.29 E£14.90

55.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 NPR 38.50

$0.22 E£11.31

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 NPR 402

$1.98 E£101

32.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 NPR 1,220

$6.03 E£309

32.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 NPR 352

$1.31 E£67.4

75.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 NPR 443

$2.82 E£145

2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.16

$0.18 E£9.28

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.09 NPR 1,543

$12.95 E£665

-22.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 NPR 308

$0.57 E£29.07

252.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 NPR 198

$0.46 E£23.48

182.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NPR 519

$2.01 E£103

69.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 NPR 214

$0.47 E£24.19

197.87%

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

$29.2K NPR 4.5M

$33.8K E£1.7M

-13.66%

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

$37.4K NPR 5.7M

$28.7K E£1.5M

30.66%

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

$31.42 NPR 4,804

$14.16 E£727

121.89%

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

$3.48 NPR 532

$7.44 E£382

-53.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.86 NPR 1,202

$14.00 E£718

-43.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.66 NPR 3,465

$12.40 E£636

82.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 NPR 1,064

$7.55 E£387

-7.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 NPR 458

$2.97 E£153

1.01%

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

$67.3 NPR 10.3K

$84.3 E£4,324

-20.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,888 NPR 747.3K

$2,150 E£110.3K

127.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.03 NPR 4,133

$33.41 E£1,714

-19.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.40 NPR 4,342

$45.19 E£2,319

-37.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 NPR 10.3K

$128 E£6,547

-47.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.33 NPR 4,638

$55.6 E£2,854

-45.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 NPR 33.8K

$141 E£7,224

57.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 NPR 16.0K

$72.9 E£3,738

43.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 NPR 66.3K

$277 E£14.2K

56.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 NPR 31.2K

$148 E£7,609

37.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,365 NPR 361.6K

$707 E£36.3K

234.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,340 NPR 204.9K

$457 E£23.5K

193.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 NPR 42.2K

$141 E£7,238

95.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.72

21.33

-54.43%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: September 6, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $221 in Kathmandu versus $141 in Alexandria. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 96% higher in Kathmandu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Kathmandu versus $17.00 in Alexandria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $145 vs $132 – making Alexandria the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kathmandu vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu costs about 7% more than Alexandria, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $749 per month in Kathmandu and $699 in Alexandria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $67.3 per month in Kathmandu and $84.3 in Alexandria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $499 in Kathmandu and $466 in Alexandria, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Alexandria. 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.