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: $484 in Kathmandu versus $562 in Bangalore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $773 in Kathmandu versus $943 in Bangalore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,063 in Kathmandu versus $1,323 in Bangalore.

Living in Kathmandu costs roughly 14% less than in Bangalore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 65% lower, Bangalore 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 NPR 294

$3.08 ₹291

-37.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.08 NPR 3,037

$18.75 ₹1,772

7.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 NPR 1,020

$4.78 ₹452

41.00%

Cappuccino

$1.54 NPR 234

$2.40 ₹227

-35.83%

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

$0.56 NPR 84.4

$0.42 ₹39.87

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 23.02

$0.13 ₹12.41

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 NPR 489

$2.26 ₹214

42.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 NPR 556

$4.04 ₹382

-9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 115

$0.59 ₹55.5

28.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 NPR 95.2

$0.55 ₹51.6

14.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 NPR 130

$0.80 ₹75.6

7.50%

Eggs

$1.69 NPR 256

$1.05 ₹99.1

60.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 NPR 1,098

$6.25 ₹590

16.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 NPR 515

$3.62 ₹342

-6.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 NPR 788

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 NPR 313

$2.83 ₹268

-26.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 NPR 174

$0.74 ₹70.3

55.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 NPR 213

$1.18 ₹111

19.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 NPR 86.7

$0.43 ₹40.25

32.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 NPR 58.1

$0.36 ₹33.64

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 NPR 78.0

$0.36 ₹33.96

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 NPR 74.6

$0.43 ₹40.16

13.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 NPR 37.97

$0.33 ₹31.53

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 NPR 408

$4.66 ₹441

-42.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 NPR 1,201

$9.32 ₹880

-14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 NPR 337

$2.01 ₹190

10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 NPR 454

$2.83 ₹268

6.01%

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

$6.72 ₹634

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 NPR 29.43

$0.51 ₹48.29

-62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.11 NPR 1,529

$15.82 ₹1,495

-36.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 NPR 305

$1.03 ₹97.6

96.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 NPR 203

$0.31 ₹28.84

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 NPR 503

$2.09 ₹197

58.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 NPR 213

$1.09 ₹103

29.36%

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

$29.4K NPR 4.4M

$12.0K ₹1.1M

144.17%

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

$36.6K NPR 5.5M

$19.2K ₹1.8M

90.35%

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

$31.68 NPR 4,792

$29.65 ₹2,801

6.85%

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

$3.38 NPR 511

$4.23 ₹400

-20.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.12 NPR 1,228

$10.00 ₹945

-18.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.51 NPR 3,405

$17.95 ₹1,696

25.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.01 NPR 1,060

$6.14 ₹580

14.17%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 NPR 451

$4.63 ₹438

-35.64%

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

$67.1 NPR 10.1K

$104 ₹9,861

-35.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,824 NPR 729.6K

$3,139 ₹296.5K

53.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.37 NPR 3,989

$31.62 ₹2,987

-16.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.67 NPR 4,336

$29.61 ₹2,798

-3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 NPR 9,965

$52.8 ₹4,985

24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.44 NPR 4,604

$39.98 ₹3,777

-23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 NPR 33.4K

$322 ₹30.4K

-31.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 NPR 15.7K

$178 ₹16.8K

-41.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 NPR 66.4K

$823 ₹77.7K

-46.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 NPR 30.8K

$501 ₹47.4K

-59.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,289 NPR 346.2K

$1,863 ₹176.1K

22.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,332 NPR 201.5K

$1,057 ₹99.8K

26.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 NPR 41.5K

$854 ₹80.6K

-67.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.72

8.52

14.08%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bangalore: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Kathmandu and $322 in Bangalore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 211% 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: $20.00 in Kathmandu vs $19.00 in Bangalore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $144 vs $123 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 16% 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 211% 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: $221 in Kathmandu versus $322 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 56% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $67.1 in Kathmandu versus $104 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 $484 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 16% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.