Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Biratnagar

For one person, living is cheaper in Biratnagar: $319 a month against $485 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
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Kathmandu Living Index
15

Cost of Living Index in Biratnagar
Learn more

Biratnagar Living Index

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Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$485

/mo nomad

Biratnagar

🇳🇵 Nepal

$319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kathmandu and in Biratnagar

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $485 in Kathmandu versus $319 in Biratnagar.

Kathmandu $485
Biratnagar $319

Estimated couple costs with rent: $780 in Kathmandu versus $524 in Biratnagar.

Kathmandu $780
Biratnagar $524

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,075 in Kathmandu versus $730 in Biratnagar.

Kathmandu $1,075
Biratnagar $730

Living in Kathmandu is roughly 52% more expensive than in Biratnagar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 64% lower, Biratnagar 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 NPR 307

$1.51 NPR 229

33.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.42 NPR 3,103

$14.13 NPR 2,147

44.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 NPR 1,134

$7.71 NPR 1,172

-3.24%

Cappuccino

$1.51 NPR 230

$1.19 NPR 181

26.89%

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

$0.55 NPR 83.8

$0.34 NPR 52.1

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 NPR 492

$1.49 NPR 226

117.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NPR 492

$2.15 NPR 327

50.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 NPR 111

$0.57 NPR 86.1

28.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 NPR 95.9

$0.39 NPR 58.5

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 NPR 132

$0.64 NPR 97.0

35.94%

Eggs

$1.76 NPR 268

$1.20 NPR 182

46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 NPR 1,119

$4.49 NPR 683

64.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 NPR 466

$2.67 NPR 405

14.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.99 NPR 909

$3.14 NPR 477

90.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 NPR 314

$2.02 NPR 306

2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 NPR 176

$0.74 NPR 113

56.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 NPR 221

$1.29 NPR 196

12.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 NPR 84.0

$0.49 NPR 74.3

12.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.0

$0.39 NPR 59.7

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 NPR 76.7

$0.43 NPR 65.1

16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 NPR 68.8

$0.27 NPR 41.06

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 33.43

$0.28 NPR 41.89

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 NPR 383

$2.55 NPR 388

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 NPR 1,175

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NPR 352

$1.60 NPR 243

45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 NPR 463

$2.33 NPR 354

30.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 NPR 33.25

$0.17 NPR 26.16

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.04 NPR 1,525

$11.85 NPR 1,801

-15.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 NPR 267

$1.93 NPR 293

-8.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 NPR 186

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NPR 516

$2.33 NPR 353

45.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 NPR 206

$1.19 NPR 181

13.45%

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

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

$21.2K NPR 3.2M

73.48%

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

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

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

$32.06 NPR 4,872

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

$3.59 NPR 545

$4.23 NPR 643

-15.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.24 NPR 1,404

$9.08 NPR 1,379

1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 NPR 3,334

$27.91 NPR 4,240

-21.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 NPR 1,027

$1.99 NPR 303

239.70%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 NPR 453

$3.14 NPR 476

-5.10%

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

$67.8 NPR 10.3K

$47.49 NPR 7,216

42.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,618 NPR 853.6K

$1,727 NPR 262.4K

225.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.01 NPR 3,648

$20.02 NPR 3,042

19.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.88 NPR 4,084

$32.54 NPR 4,945

-17.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 NPR 9,838

$24.35 NPR 3,699

165.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.17 NPR 4,432

$29.47 NPR 4,477

-1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 NPR 33.4K

$46.59 NPR 7,079

371.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 NPR 15.4K

$52.5 NPR 7,981

92.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 NPR 65.8K

$129 NPR 19.7K

234.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 NPR 30.5K

$99.1 NPR 15.1K

102.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,355 NPR 357.8K

$397 NPR 60.4K

492.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,334 NPR 202.7K

$260 NPR 39.4K

413.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 NPR 39.7K

$160 NPR 24.3K

63.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.98

-28.71%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Biratnagar: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kathmandu

$145 29.9%

Biratnagar

$94 * 29.6% 35% $51

Accommodation & Living

Kathmandu

$101 20.9%

Biratnagar

$53 16.5% 48.1% $49

Eating Out

Kathmandu

$82 17%

Biratnagar

$63 * 19.6% 23.9% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Kathmandu

$65 13.4%

Biratnagar

$48 15% 26.5% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kathmandu

$45 9.3%

Biratnagar

$13 * 4.2% 70.3% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Kathmandu

$28 5.8%

Biratnagar

$34 10.7% 22.5% $6.3

Getting Around

Kathmandu

$19 3.9%

Biratnagar

$14 * 4.5% 23% $4.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $220 in Kathmandu and $46.59 in Biratnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 63% 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 $14.00 in Biratnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $94.0 per month, with Biratnagar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Biratnagar

🕒 Local time

20:03 8:03 PM

Same time as Kathmandu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

975,000 Capital

166,674

💱 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

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Kathmandu Biratnagar 240 km

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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 Biratnagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Biratnagar is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 63% 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: $220 in Kathmandu versus $46.59 in Biratnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Kathmandu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Biratnagar – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $20.00 in Kathmandu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Biratnagar 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 Biratnagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Kathmandu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.