Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Birendranagar

For one person, living is cheaper in Birendranagar: $153 a month against $485 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
Learn more

Kathmandu Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Birendranagar
Learn more

Birendranagar Living Index

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Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$485

/mo nomad

Birendranagar

🇳🇵 Nepal

$153

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kathmandu and in Birendranagar

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

A single person spends $485 per month in Kathmandu vs $153 in Birendranagar, rent included.

Kathmandu $485
Birendranagar $153

A couple spends around $780 per month in Kathmandu vs $289 in Birendranagar, rent included.

Kathmandu $780
Birendranagar $289

A family of three spends $1,075 per month in Kathmandu vs $425 in Birendranagar, rent included.

Kathmandu $1,075
Birendranagar $425

Kathmandu costs about 218% more than Birendranagar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kathmandu and Birendranagar are more affordable than the global median – Kathmandu 64% lower, Birendranagar 89% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 NPR 307

$1.59 NPR 241

27.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.42 NPR 3,103

$16.15 NPR 2,454

26.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 NPR 1,134

Cappuccino

$1.51 NPR 230

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

$0.55 NPR 83.8

$0.41 NPR 61.7

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.74

$0.22 NPR 33.40

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 NPR 492

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NPR 492

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 NPR 111

$0.61 NPR 93.0

19.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 NPR 95.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 NPR 132

$0.77 NPR 117

12.99%

Eggs

$1.76 NPR 268

$1.15 NPR 175

53.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 NPR 1,119

$7.37 NPR 1,120

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 NPR 466

$3.22 NPR 490

-4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.99 NPR 909

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 NPR 314

$1.90 NPR 289

8.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 NPR 176

$1.34 NPR 203

-13.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 NPR 221

$0.94 NPR 143

54.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 NPR 84.0

$0.50 NPR 76.7

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.0

$0.31 NPR 47.78

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 NPR 76.7

$0.68 NPR 104

-26.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 NPR 68.8

$0.13 NPR 19.99

246.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 33.43

$0.25 NPR 37.75

-12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 NPR 383

$1.65 NPR 251

52.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 NPR 1,175

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NPR 352

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 NPR 463

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 NPR 186

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NPR 516

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 NPR 206

$1.17 NPR 178

15.38%

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

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

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

$3.24 NPR 493

10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.24 NPR 1,404

$6.62 NPR 1,005

39.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 NPR 3,334

$9.89 NPR 1,502

121.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 NPR 1,027

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 NPR 453

$2.33 NPR 355

27.90%

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

$67.8 NPR 10.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,618 NPR 853.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.01 NPR 3,648

$10.06 NPR 1,529

138.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.88 NPR 4,084

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 NPR 9,838

$33.22 NPR 5,048

94.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.17 NPR 4,432

$26.22 NPR 3,985

11.25%

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

$192 NPR 29.2K

36.12%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Birendranagar: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kathmandu

$145 29.9%

Birendranagar

$82 * 53.5% 43.8% $64

Accommodation & Living

Kathmandu

$101 20.9%

Birendranagar

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Kathmandu

$82 17%

Birendranagar

$15 * 10% 81.5% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Kathmandu

$65 13.4%

Birendranagar

$31 * 20.5% 52% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kathmandu

$45 9.3%

Birendranagar

$9.9 * 6.5% 78% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Kathmandu

$28 5.8%

Birendranagar

$15 9.5% 47.9% $13

Getting Around

Kathmandu

$19 3.9%

Birendranagar

- * 0% 100%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 36% higher in Kathmandu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kathmandu versus $16.00 in Birendranagar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $145 vs $82.0 – making Birendranagar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Birendranagar

🕒 Local time

18:16 6:16 PM

Same time as Kathmandu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

975,000 Capital

47,914

💱 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 Birendranagar 380 km

From you

Kathmandu
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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 Birendranagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kathmandu is pricier by about 218%, 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 $229 in Birendranagar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 78% more in Kathmandu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kathmandu and $16.00 in Birendranagar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $485 in Kathmandu and $153 in Birendranagar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Birendranagar – 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 Birendranagar. 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.