Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Bhimdatta Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Bhimdatta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $494 per month in Kathmandu vs $395 in Bhimdatta, rent included.

A couple spends around $789 per month in Kathmandu vs $656 in Bhimdatta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,085 per month in Kathmandu vs $918 in Bhimdatta, rent included.

Kathmandu costs about 25% more than Bhimdatta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kathmandu and Bhimdatta are more affordable than the global median – Kathmandu 63% lower, Bhimdatta 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 NPR 286

$0.71 NPR 108

161.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 NPR 2,915

$18.98 NPR 2,916

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 NPR 1,008

$6.70 NPR 1,028

-2.09%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NPR 282

$1.56 NPR 240

17.95%

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

$0.54 NPR 83.3

$0.54 NPR 82.9

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 NPR 26.97

$0.19 NPR 28.76

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 NPR 409

$2.64 NPR 406

0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 NPR 544

$3.61 NPR 555

-1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 NPR 132

$0.60 NPR 91.9

43.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 NPR 83.6

$0.56 NPR 85.9

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 NPR 155

$0.80 NPR 124

26.25%

Eggs

$1.79 NPR 274

$1.67 NPR 256

7.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 NPR 1,344

$7.27 NPR 1,116

20.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 NPR 477

$3.22 NPR 494

-3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 NPR 937

$5.98 NPR 919

2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 NPR 348

$2.24 NPR 345

0.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 NPR 159

$1.04 NPR 160

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 193

$1.20 NPR 184

4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 108

$0.70 NPR 107

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 74.7

$0.49 NPR 75.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 NPR 112

$0.63 NPR 96.6

15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 NPR 74.6

$0.53 NPR 81.1

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.92

$0.25 NPR 38.26

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 NPR 436

$2.98 NPR 458

-4.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 NPR 1,330

$3.33 NPR 511

160.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 NPR 364

$2.36 NPR 362

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 NPR 496

$3.37 NPR 517

-4.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.47

$0.19 NPR 29.72

21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.07 NPR 1,701

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 NPR 343

$2.15 NPR 330

3.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 NPR 164

$0.81 NPR 124

32.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 NPR 565

$3.72 NPR 571

-1.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 189

$1.22 NPR 188

0.82%

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

$31.6K NPR 4.9M

$31.7K NPR 4.9M

-0.30%

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

$40.6K NPR 6.2M

$41.0K NPR 6.3M

-0.80%

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

$32.99 NPR 5,068

$26.30 NPR 4,039

25.44%

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

$4.73 NPR 727

$4.93 NPR 758

-4.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.72 NPR 1,494

$9.71 NPR 1,492

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.35 NPR 3,433

$18.36 NPR 2,820

21.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 NPR 1,103

Cinema Ticket

$3.24 NPR 498

$2.78 NPR 427

16.55%

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

$89.5 NPR 13.8K

$73.5 NPR 11.3K

21.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,834 NPR 588.9K

$2,690 NPR 413.1K

42.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.49 NPR 3,762

$25.34 NPR 3,892

-3.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.56 NPR 4,233

$27.77 NPR 4,266

-0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 NPR 8,953

$44.70 NPR 6,866

30.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.85 NPR 5,967

$28.44 NPR 4,368

36.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 NPR 29.8K

$104 NPR 16.0K

85.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 NPR 15.4K

$62.9 NPR 9,658

59.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 NPR 52.5K

$205 NPR 31.4K

67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 NPR 28.9K

$143 NPR 22.0K

31.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,271 NPR 348.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 NPR 203.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 NPR 42.6K

$322 NPR 49.5K

-13.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

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

Last update for Kathmandu: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bhimdatta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Kathmandu versus $104 in Bhimdatta. 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 16% higher in Bhimdatta, 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 $19.00 in Kathmandu versus $19.00 in Bhimdatta. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Kathmandu vs $136 in Bhimdatta – so Bhimdatta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bhimdatta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $494 in Kathmandu, $395 in Bhimdatta – roughly 25% apart. Kathmandu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $741 per month in Kathmandu and $592 in Bhimdatta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bhimdatta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kathmandu and $19.00 in Bhimdatta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Kathmandu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $494 in Kathmandu and $395 in Bhimdatta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bhimdatta – 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 Bhimdatta. 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.