Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Ankara

For one person, living is cheaper in Kathmandu: $496 a month against $1,389 in Ankara, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kathmandu, Nepal
Ankara, Turkey
Kathmandu
🇳🇵 Nepal
$496
/mo nomad
Ankara
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,389
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kathmandu and in Ankara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kathmandu and in Ankara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $496 per month in Kathmandu vs $1,389 in Ankara, rent included.

  • Kathmandu $496
  • Ankara $1,389

A couple spends around $795 per month in Kathmandu vs $2,087 in Ankara, rent included.

  • Kathmandu $795
  • Ankara $2,087

A family of three spends $1,094 per month in Kathmandu vs $2,785 in Ankara, rent included.

  • Kathmandu $1,094
  • Ankara $2,785

Kathmandu is about 64% cheaper than Ankara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kathmandu sits 63% below the global median, while Ankara is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 NPR 306
$10.10 ₺507
-79.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.67 NPR 3,277
$43.81 ₺2,197
-50.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.92 NPR 1,198
$9.78 ₺490
-19.02%
Cappuccino
$1.56 NPR 235
$4.12 ₺207
-62.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 NPR 84.2
$1.68 ₺84.3
-66.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 NPR 20.09
$0.72 ₺36.05
-81.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.11 NPR 470
$5.02 ₺252
-38.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 NPR 512
$6.60 ₺331
-48.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.76 NPR 114
$1.16 ₺58.4
-34.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.63 NPR 95.2
$0.96 ₺48.39
-34.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.94 NPR 143
$2.25 ₺113
-58.22%
Eggs
$1.70 NPR 257
$2.66 ₺134
-36.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 NPR 1,164
$10.09 ₺506
-23.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 NPR 480
$5.43 ₺272
-41.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.72 NPR 865
$19.99 ₺1,003
-71.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.02 NPR 306
$1.91 ₺95.8
5.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.16 NPR 176
$2.18 ₺109
-46.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.34 NPR 202
$1.26 ₺63.3
6.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.55 NPR 82.9
$1.65 ₺82.6
-66.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.39 NPR 58.5
$0.65 ₺32.69
-40.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 NPR 82.7
$0.55 ₺27.40
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 NPR 73.0
$0.99 ₺49.75
-51.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 NPR 36.38
$0.66 ₺32.90
-63.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.63 NPR 398
$2.25 ₺113
16.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.00 NPR 1,361
$12.37 ₺620
-27.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 NPR 333
$2.12 ₺106
3.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 NPR 465
$3.20 ₺161
-3.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 NPR 33.17
$0.77 ₺38.86
-71.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.88 NPR 1,494
$11.85 ₺595
-16.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 NPR 255
$1.28 ₺64.3
31.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 NPR 184
$0.84 ₺42.02
45.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 NPR 491
$8.22 ₺412
-60.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 NPR 215
$1.39 ₺69.5
2.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K NPR 5.4M
$48.4K ₺2.4M
-26.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K NPR 5.5M
$40.2K ₺2.0M
-10.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$31.50 NPR 4,763
$99.9 ₺5,011
-68.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.53 NPR 534
$11.15 ₺559
-68.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.96 NPR 1,354
$17.94 ₺900
-50.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.91 NPR 3,766
$72.0 ₺3,611
-65.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.01 NPR 1,059
$14.80 ₺742
-52.64%
Cinema Ticket
$2.89 NPR 437
$7.77 ₺390
-62.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$67.5 NPR 10.2K
$1,084 ₺54.3K
-93.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.9K NPR 2.3M
$22.5K ₺1.1M
-33.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.64 NPR 3,272
$53.4 ₺2,677
-59.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.51 NPR 4,009
$47.87 ₺2,401
-44.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.1 NPR 9,536
$104 ₺5,229
-39.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.01 NPR 4,235
$97.8 ₺4,905
-71.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$233 NPR 35.3K
$748 ₺37.5K
-68.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$109 NPR 16.4K
$557 ₺27.9K
-80.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$444 NPR 67.1K
$1,142 ₺57.3K
-61.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$207 NPR 31.3K
$902 ₺45.2K
-77.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,324 NPR 351.4K
$1,644 ₺82.5K
41.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,315 NPR 198.8K
$1,142 ₺57.3K
15.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kathmandu
Ankara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$285 NPR 43.1K
$1,058 ₺53.1K
-73.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.98
43.85
-77.24%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: October 31, 2026

Last update for Ankara: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kathmandu
$148
Ankara
$251 69.6% $103
Accommodation & Living
Kathmandu
$109
Ankara
$557 413% $448
Eating Out
Kathmandu
$84
Ankara
$208 148% $124
Clothing & Footwear
Kathmandu
$63
Ankara
$136 118% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kathmandu
$44
Ankara
$129 193% $85
Sport & Entertainment
Kathmandu
$31
Ankara
$88 185% $57
Getting Around
Kathmandu
$19
Ankara
$20 10.2% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $233 in Kathmandu versus $748 in Ankara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ankara are about 3.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Kathmandu versus $44 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $148 vs $251 – making Kathmandu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇵 Kathmandu
🇹🇷 Ankara
🕒 Local time
20:45 8:45 PM
18:00 6:00 PM
2 h 45 min behind Kathmandu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
975,000 Capital
5,864,049 Capital
💱 Currency
Nepalese Rupee NPR रु
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to NPR – Nepalese Rupee Converter

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 151 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.61 USD). 1 EUR = 170 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.89 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kathmandu Ankara 4,960 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kathmandu
  • Ankara

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
Kathmandu vs Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kathmandu or Ankara?
Ankara costs about 180% more than Kathmandu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kathmandu and in Ankara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $744 per month in Kathmandu and $2,083 in Ankara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kathmandu or Ankara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kathmandu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $233 there versus $748 in Ankara.
How do childcare costs compare in Kathmandu and in Ankara?
Kindergarten costs $67 per month in Kathmandu and $1,084 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Kathmandu or in Ankara?
Groceries cost about 70% more in Ankara, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Kathmandu or in Ankara?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kathmandu, where all-in costs run around $496, than in Ankara at $1,389. In Kathmandu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Kathmandu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Kathmandu or to Ankara?
If budget matters most, go with Kathmandu. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ankara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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