Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Kathmandu: $496 a month against $1,187 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kathmandu, Nepal
Bali, Indonesia
Kathmandu
🇳🇵 Nepal
$496
/mo nomad
Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,187
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kathmandu and in Bali

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 Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $496 per month in Kathmandu vs $1,187 in Bali, rent included.

  • Kathmandu $496
  • Bali $1,187

A couple spends around $795 per month in Kathmandu vs $2,004 in Bali, rent included.

  • Kathmandu $795
  • Bali $2,004

A family of three spends $1,094 per month in Kathmandu vs $2,822 in Bali, rent included.

  • Kathmandu $1,094
  • Bali $2,822

Kathmandu is about 58% cheaper than Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kathmandu and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Kathmandu 63% lower, Bali 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 NPR 305
$2.80 Rp 50.7K
-27.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.67 NPR 3,260
$28.85 Rp 522.3K
-24.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.92 NPR 1,192
$4.76 Rp 86.2K
66.39%
Cappuccino
$1.56 NPR 234
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
-30.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 NPR 83.7
$1.30 Rp 23.5K
-56.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 NPR 19.99
$0.56 Rp 10.2K
-76.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.11 NPR 468
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
39.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 NPR 509
$3.55 Rp 64.3K
-4.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.76 NPR 114
$1.41 Rp 25.4K
-46.10%
White Bread (500g)
$0.63 NPR 94.7
$2.18 Rp 39.5K
-71.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.94 NPR 142
$1.05 Rp 18.9K
-10.48%
Eggs
$1.70 NPR 256
$1.92 Rp 34.8K
-11.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 NPR 1,158
$14.84 Rp 268.7K
-48.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 NPR 477
$3.86 Rp 69.9K
-17.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.72 NPR 860
$10.69 Rp 193.4K
-46.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.02 NPR 304
$3.34 Rp 60.4K
-39.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.16 NPR 175
$1.46 Rp 26.4K
-20.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.34 NPR 201
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
-39.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.55 NPR 82.5
$1.80 Rp 32.7K
-69.44%
Potato (1kg)
$0.39 NPR 58.2
$1.72 Rp 31.1K
-77.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 NPR 82.3
$2.23 Rp 40.3K
-75.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 NPR 72.6
$0.92 Rp 16.6K
-47.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 NPR 36.20
$0.46 Rp 8,333
-47.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.63 NPR 396
$2.06 Rp 37.2K
27.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.00 NPR 1,354
$20.38 Rp 368.9K
-55.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 NPR 331
$2.16 Rp 39.2K
1.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 NPR 463
$2.85 Rp 51.6K
8.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 NPR 33.00
$0.25 Rp 4,544
-12.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.88 NPR 1,486
$8.68 Rp 157.2K
13.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 NPR 253
$0.44 Rp 7,980
281.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 NPR 183
$0.43 Rp 7,789
183.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 NPR 489
$5.38 Rp 97.5K
-39.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 NPR 213
$0.85 Rp 15.4K
67.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K NPR 5.4M
$23.7K Rp 429.8M
50.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K NPR 5.4M
$32.9K Rp 594.7M
10.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$31.50 NPR 4,738
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
-58.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.53 NPR 531
$6.33 Rp 114.5K
-44.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.96 NPR 1,347
$18.93 Rp 342.7K
-52.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.91 NPR 3,747
$41.65 Rp 754.0K
-40.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.01 NPR 1,054
$14.78 Rp 267.5K
-52.57%
Cinema Ticket
$2.89 NPR 434
$3.58 Rp 64.8K
-19.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$67.5 NPR 10.2K
$437 Rp 7.9M
-84.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.9K NPR 2.2M
$11.0K Rp 199.8M
34.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.64 NPR 3,256
$43.09 Rp 780.0K
-49.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.51 NPR 3,988
$33.51 Rp 606.6K
-20.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.1 NPR 9,487
$75.0 Rp 1.4M
-15.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.01 NPR 4,214
$73.9 Rp 1.3M
-62.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$233 NPR 35.1K
$957 Rp 17.3M
-75.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$109 NPR 16.3K
$570 Rp 10.3M
-80.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$444 NPR 66.8K
$3,028 Rp 54.8M
-85.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$207 NPR 31.2K
$1,446 Rp 26.2M
-85.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,324 NPR 349.6K
$2,096 Rp 37.9M
10.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,315 NPR 197.8K
$1,885 Rp 34.1M
-30.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kathmandu
Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$285 NPR 42.9K
$215 Rp 3.9M
32.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.98
13.78
-27.58%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: October 31, 2026

Last update for Bali: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kathmandu
$148
Bali
$263 77.8% $115
Accommodation & Living
Kathmandu
$109
Bali
$570 425% $461
Eating Out
Kathmandu
$84
Bali
$89 6.6% $5.5
Clothing & Footwear
Kathmandu
$63
Bali
$101 62% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kathmandu
$44
Bali
$102 132% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Kathmandu
$31
Bali
$49 59.1% $18
Getting Around
Kathmandu
$19
Bali
$12 33.7% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $233 in Kathmandu versus $957 in Bali. 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 32% higher in Kathmandu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Kathmandu versus $29 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $148 vs $263 – making Kathmandu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇵 Kathmandu
🇮🇩 Bali
🕒 Local time
08:43 8:43 AM
10:58 10:58 AM
2 h 15 min ahead of Kathmandu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
975,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Nepalese Rupee NPR रु
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to NPR – Nepalese Rupee Converter

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 150 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.65 USD). 1 EUR = 168 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.95 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 18,103 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,231 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kathmandu Bali 5,150 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kathmandu
  • Bali

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 Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kathmandu or Bali?
Bali costs about 139% more than Kathmandu, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kathmandu and in Bali?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $744 per month in Kathmandu and $1,780 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kathmandu or Bali?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kathmandu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $233 there versus $957 in Bali.
How do dining costs compare in Kathmandu and in Bali?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Kathmandu and $29 in Bali. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Kathmandu compared to Bali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $496 in Kathmandu and $1,187 in Bali. That makes Kathmandu about 58% cheaper.
Can you live on $800/month in Kathmandu or in Bali?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kathmandu, where all-in costs run around $496, than in Bali at $1,187. In Kathmandu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali 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.

Kathmandu vs other spots: cost of living compared

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