Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Bharatpur

For one person, living is cheaper in Bharatpur: $353 a month against $488 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
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Kathmandu Living Index
17

Cost of Living Index in Bharatpur
Learn more

Bharatpur Living Index

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Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$488

/mo nomad

Bharatpur

🇳🇵 Nepal

$353

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kathmandu and in Bharatpur

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $488 in Kathmandu versus $353 in Bharatpur.

Kathmandu $488
Bharatpur $353

Estimated couple costs with rent: $783 in Kathmandu versus $588 in Bharatpur.

Kathmandu $783
Bharatpur $588

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,077 in Kathmandu versus $823 in Bharatpur.

Kathmandu $1,077
Bharatpur $823

Living in Kathmandu is roughly 38% more expensive than in Bharatpur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 64% lower, Bharatpur 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.92 NPR 291

$1.30 NPR 197

47.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.72 NPR 3,146

$15.00 NPR 2,277

38.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 NPR 1,065

$4.82 NPR 731

45.64%

Cappuccino

$1.56 NPR 236

$1.18 NPR 180

32.20%

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

$0.51 NPR 78.2

$0.41 NPR 61.6

24.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 NPR 20.87

$0.13 NPR 19.43

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 NPR 472

$2.24 NPR 340

38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NPR 504

$3.04 NPR 461

9.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 NPR 117

$0.63 NPR 95.3

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 NPR 93.9

$0.45 NPR 67.6

37.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 NPR 139

$0.55 NPR 82.9

67.27%

Eggs

$1.74 NPR 264

$1.41 NPR 214

23.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 NPR 1,141

$5.36 NPR 813

40.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 NPR 471

$2.87 NPR 436

8.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.99 NPR 909

$6.11 NPR 927

-1.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 NPR 316

$1.75 NPR 266

18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 NPR 181

$0.58 NPR 87.7

105.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 NPR 219

$0.63 NPR 95.5

128.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 NPR 89.3

$0.37 NPR 56.9

59.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 58.8

$0.29 NPR 43.77

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 NPR 81.8

$0.37 NPR 56.9

45.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 NPR 74.9

$0.48 NPR 73.0

2.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 33.20

$0.20 NPR 30.32

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 NPR 373

$2.48 NPR 376

-0.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 NPR 1,209

$4.85 NPR 737

64.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 NPR 349

$2.27 NPR 345

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 NPR 458

$2.57 NPR 390

17.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 NPR 26.26

$0.16 NPR 24.92

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.75 NPR 1,481

$5.74 NPR 872

69.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 NPR 272

$1.30 NPR 197

37.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 NPR 176

$0.48 NPR 72.2

141.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 NPR 505

$3.36 NPR 510

-0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 NPR 210

$1.10 NPR 167

26.36%

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

$35.7K NPR 5.4M

$20.0K NPR 3.0M

78.55%

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

$35.9K NPR 5.4M

$22.8K NPR 3.5M

57.40%

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

$31.31 NPR 4,753

$26.33 NPR 3,996

18.91%

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

$3.58 NPR 544

$3.26 NPR 495

9.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.30 NPR 1,411

$8.48 NPR 1,287

9.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.50 NPR 3,720

$19.40 NPR 2,945

26.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.97 NPR 1,059

$3.89 NPR 590

79.18%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 NPR 446

$1.78 NPR 271

65.17%

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

$66.9 NPR 10.1K

$66.5 NPR 10.1K

0.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,521 NPR 838.1K

$1,943 NPR 295.0K

184.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.85 NPR 3,621

$12.92 NPR 1,961

84.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 NPR 4,064

$19.73 NPR 2,996

35.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 NPR 9,510

$32.87 NPR 4,990

90.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.36 NPR 4,458

$28.48 NPR 4,324

3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 NPR 32.9K

$91.2 NPR 13.8K

137.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 NPR 15.8K

$65.4 NPR 9,928

59.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 NPR 65.5K

$191 NPR 29.0K

126.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 NPR 30.4K

$173 NPR 26.3K

15.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,336 NPR 354.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,330 NPR 201.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 NPR 40.6K

$200 NPR 30.3K

34.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.98

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

Last update for Kathmandu: October 24, 2026

Last update for Bharatpur: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kathmandu

$147 30.2%

Bharatpur

$116 32.9% 21.1% $31

Accommodation & Living

Kathmandu

$104 21.4%

Bharatpur

$65 18.5% 37.3% $39

Eating Out

Kathmandu

$80 16.4%

Bharatpur

$58 16.5% 26.8% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Kathmandu

$64 13.2%

Bharatpur

$42 12% 34.1% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kathmandu

$44 9.1%

Bharatpur

$38 10.8% 13.8% $6.1

Sport & Entertainment

Kathmandu

$30 6.2%

Bharatpur

$23 6.5% 24.4% $7.4

Getting Around

Kathmandu

$18 3.7%

Bharatpur

$10 2.9% 44.1% $8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $217 in Kathmandu and $91 in Bharatpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 34% 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: $21 in Kathmandu vs $15 in Bharatpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $116 per month, with Bharatpur cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Bharatpur

🕒 Local time

17:33 5:33 PM

Same time as Kathmandu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

975,000 Capital

369,268

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.59 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.9 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.59 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kathmandu vs Bharatpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bharatpur wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Kathmandu. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bharatpur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Kathmandu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $217 in Kathmandu versus $91 in Bharatpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $67 in Kathmandu versus $67 in Bharatpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Kathmandu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bharatpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Kathmandu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.