Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Bangalore Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Bangalore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $494 in Kathmandu versus $560 in Bangalore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $789 in Kathmandu versus $952 in Bangalore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,085 in Kathmandu versus $1,344 in Bangalore.

Living in Kathmandu costs roughly 12% less than in Bangalore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 63% lower, Bangalore 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 NPR 287

$3.56 ₹344

-47.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 NPR 2,927

$17.57 ₹1,694

8.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 NPR 1,012

$4.05 ₹390

61.98%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NPR 283

$2.40 ₹232

-23.33%

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

$0.54 NPR 83.6

$0.46 ₹44.01

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 NPR 27.07

$0.16 ₹15.26

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 NPR 410

$2.38 ₹230

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 NPR 546

$3.96 ₹382

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 NPR 133

$0.65 ₹62.5

32.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 NPR 84.0

$0.62 ₹59.9

-12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 NPR 156

$0.86 ₹82.8

17.44%

Eggs

$1.79 NPR 275

$1.04 ₹100

72.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 NPR 1,349

$7.80 ₹752

12.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 NPR 479

$3.85 ₹371

-19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 NPR 940

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 NPR 349

$2.65 ₹256

-14.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 NPR 160

$0.74 ₹71.6

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 193

$1.13 ₹109

10.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 108

$0.43 ₹41.89

62.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 75.0

$0.47 ₹45.42

4.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 NPR 113

$0.51 ₹49.12

43.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 NPR 74.9

$0.44 ₹42.37

11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 42.08

$0.35 ₹33.96

-22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 NPR 438

$4.10 ₹395

-30.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 NPR 1,335

$10.25 ₹988

-15.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 NPR 365

$2.11 ₹204

12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 NPR 498

$3.31 ₹320

-2.42%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$7.46 ₹719

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.61

$0.57 ₹54.8

-59.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.07 NPR 1,708

$14.55 ₹1,404

-23.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 NPR 344

$1.18 ₹113

88.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 NPR 165

$0.35 ₹33.86

205.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 NPR 568

$2.36 ₹227

55.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 189

$1.22 ₹117

0.82%

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

$31.6K NPR 4.9M

$13.8K ₹1.3M

128.33%

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

$40.6K NPR 6.3M

$24.7K ₹2.4M

64.53%

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

$32.99 NPR 5,088

$34.61 ₹3,338

-4.68%

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

$4.73 NPR 730

$4.99 ₹481

-5.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.72 NPR 1,500

$10.67 ₹1,029

-8.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.35 NPR 3,447

$18.61 ₹1,795

20.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 NPR 1,107

$5.99 ₹577

19.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.24 NPR 500

$4.60 ₹444

-29.57%

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

$89.5 NPR 13.8K

$117 ₹11.3K

-23.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,834 NPR 591.2K

$3,283 ₹316.6K

16.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.49 NPR 3,777

$27.50 ₹2,652

-10.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.56 NPR 4,250

$29.18 ₹2,814

-5.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 NPR 8,988

$55.0 ₹5,299

6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.85 NPR 5,991

$40.64 ₹3,919

-4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 NPR 29.9K

$308 ₹29.7K

-37.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 NPR 15.5K

$178 ₹17.2K

-43.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 NPR 52.7K

$818 ₹78.9K

-58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 NPR 29.0K

$485 ₹46.7K

-61.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,271 NPR 350.2K

$1,824 ₹175.8K

24.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 NPR 203.8K

$988 ₹95.2K

33.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 NPR 42.8K

$787 ₹75.9K

-64.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

9.19

31.45%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bangalore: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $194 in Kathmandu and $308 in Bangalore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 184% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Kathmandu vs $18.00 in Bangalore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $155 vs $133 per month, with Bangalore cheaper across the board.

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 Bangalore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 184% lower in Bangalore. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $194 in Kathmandu versus $308 in Bangalore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kathmandu runs roughly 31% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.5 in Kathmandu versus $117 in Bangalore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kathmandu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $494 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.