Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Bhaktapur

For one person, living is cheaper in Bhaktapur: $297 a month against $485 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
Learn more

Kathmandu Living Index
14

Cost of Living Index in Bhaktapur
Learn more

Bhaktapur Living Index

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Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$485

/mo nomad

Bhaktapur

🇳🇵 Nepal

$297

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kathmandu and in Bhaktapur

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

A single person spends $485 per month in Kathmandu vs $297 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Kathmandu $485
Bhaktapur $297

A couple spends around $780 per month in Kathmandu vs $497 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Kathmandu $780
Bhaktapur $497

A family of three spends $1,075 per month in Kathmandu vs $697 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Kathmandu $1,075
Bhaktapur $697

Kathmandu costs about 64% more than Bhaktapur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kathmandu and Bhaktapur are more affordable than the global median – Kathmandu 64% lower, Bhaktapur 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 NPR 307

$1.97 NPR 300

2.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.42 NPR 3,103

$20.38 NPR 3,096

0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 NPR 1,134

$3.19 NPR 485

133.86%

Cappuccino

$1.51 NPR 230

$0.95 NPR 145

58.95%

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

$0.55 NPR 83.8

$0.50 NPR 75.5

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.74

$0.14 NPR 21.48

21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 NPR 492

$1.66 NPR 252

95.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NPR 492

$1.61 NPR 244

101.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 NPR 111

$0.70 NPR 107

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 NPR 95.9

$0.48 NPR 73.1

31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 NPR 132

$0.85 NPR 128

2.35%

Eggs

$1.76 NPR 268

$1.66 NPR 252

6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 NPR 1,119

$3.22 NPR 489

128.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 NPR 466

$3.15 NPR 479

-2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.99 NPR 909

$6.21 NPR 944

-3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 NPR 314

$1.99 NPR 302

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 NPR 176

$1.14 NPR 173

1.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 NPR 221

$1.27 NPR 194

14.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 NPR 84.0

$0.54 NPR 81.5

1.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.0

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 NPR 76.7

$0.50 NPR 76.3

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 NPR 68.8

$0.38 NPR 57.4

18.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 33.43

$0.19 NPR 28.56

15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 NPR 383

$2.55 NPR 388

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 NPR 1,175

$5.93 NPR 901

30.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NPR 352

$2.25 NPR 343

3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 NPR 463

$1.67 NPR 254

82.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 NPR 33.25

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.04 NPR 1,525

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 NPR 267

$1.75 NPR 266

0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 NPR 186

$1.15 NPR 175

6.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NPR 516

$3.30 NPR 501

3.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 NPR 206

$1.34 NPR 203

0.75%

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

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

$29.4K NPR 4.5M

25.27%

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

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

$36.7K NPR 5.6M

0.32%

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

$32.06 NPR 4,872

$31.91 NPR 4,848

0.47%

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

$3.59 NPR 545

$3.43 NPR 521

4.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.24 NPR 1,404

$9.26 NPR 1,406

-0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 NPR 3,334

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 NPR 1,027

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 NPR 453

$3.00 NPR 456

-0.67%

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

$67.8 NPR 10.3K

$65.1 NPR 9,892

4.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,618 NPR 853.6K

$5,415 NPR 822.7K

3.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.01 NPR 3,648

$25.24 NPR 3,835

-4.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.88 NPR 4,084

$26.95 NPR 4,095

-0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 NPR 9,838

$63.1 NPR 9,593

2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.17 NPR 4,432

$28.58 NPR 4,343

2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 NPR 33.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 NPR 15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 NPR 65.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 NPR 30.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,355 NPR 357.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,334 NPR 202.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 NPR 39.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.98

9.72

2.67%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Bhaktapur: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kathmandu

$145 29.9%

Bhaktapur

$123 41.4% 15.4% $22

Accommodation & Living

Kathmandu

$101 20.9%

Bhaktapur

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Kathmandu

$82 17%

Bhaktapur

$51 17.2% 38.2% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Kathmandu

$65 13.4%

Bhaktapur

$65 21.8% 0.6% $0.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kathmandu

$45 9.3%

Bhaktapur

$45 15% 0.7% $0.3

Sport & Entertainment

Kathmandu

$28 5.8%

Bhaktapur

$6 * 2% 78.5% $22

Getting Around

Kathmandu

$19 3.9%

Bhaktapur

$7.5 * 2.5% 60% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kathmandu versus $20.00 in Bhaktapur. Groceries tell a different story – $145 in Kathmandu vs $123 in Bhaktapur – so Bhaktapur wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Bhaktapur

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

Same time as Kathmandu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

975,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Kathmandu Bhaktapur 13 km

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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 Bhaktapur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kathmandu is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $728 per month in Kathmandu and $445 in Bhaktapur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $485 in Kathmandu and $297 in Bhaktapur. That's a gap of about 64%.

Kindergarten costs $67.8 per month in Kathmandu and $65.1 in Bhaktapur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $485 in Kathmandu and $297 in Bhaktapur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bhaktapur. 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.