Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Dhangadhi

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhangadhi: $82.2 a month against $485 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
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Kathmandu Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Dhangadhi
Learn more

Dhangadhi Living Index

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Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$485

/mo nomad

Dhangadhi

🇳🇵 Nepal

$82.2

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kathmandu and in Dhangadhi

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

A single person spends $485 per month in Kathmandu vs $82.2 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

Kathmandu $485
Dhangadhi $82.2

A couple spends around $780 per month in Kathmandu vs $156 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

Kathmandu $780
Dhangadhi $156

A family of three spends $1,075 per month in Kathmandu vs $231 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

Kathmandu $1,075
Dhangadhi $231

Kathmandu costs about 490% more than Dhangadhi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kathmandu and Dhangadhi are more affordable than the global median – Kathmandu 64% lower, Dhangadhi 94% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 NPR 307

$1.67 NPR 254

20.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.42 NPR 3,103

$13.24 NPR 2,012

54.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 NPR 1,134

$8.14 NPR 1,237

-8.35%

Cappuccino

$1.51 NPR 230

$0.94 NPR 142

60.64%

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

$0.55 NPR 83.8

$0.45 NPR 68.1

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.74

$0.25 NPR 37.78

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 NPR 492

$2.23 NPR 339

45.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NPR 492

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 NPR 111

$0.56 NPR 85.5

30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 NPR 95.9

$0.22 NPR 33.26

186.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 NPR 132

Eggs

$1.76 NPR 268

$1.18 NPR 180

49.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 NPR 1,119

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 NPR 466

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.99 NPR 909

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 NPR 314

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 NPR 176

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 NPR 221

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 NPR 84.0

$1.34 NPR 203

-58.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.0

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 NPR 76.7

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 NPR 68.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 33.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 NPR 383

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

$1.19 NPR 180

13.45%

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

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.24 NPR 1,404

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

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

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.88 NPR 4,084

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 NPR 9,838

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.17 NPR 4,432

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

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

Last update for Kathmandu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dhangadhi: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kathmandu

$145 29.9%

Dhangadhi

$19 * 23.4% 86.7% $126

Accommodation & Living

Kathmandu

$101 20.9%

Dhangadhi

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Kathmandu

$82 17%

Dhangadhi

$63 * 76.6% 23.4% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Kathmandu

$65 13.4%

Dhangadhi

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kathmandu

$45 9.3%

Dhangadhi

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Kathmandu

$28 5.8%

Dhangadhi

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Kathmandu

$19 3.9%

Dhangadhi

- * 0% 100%

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 $13.00 in Dhangadhi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $145 vs $19.00 – making Dhangadhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Dhangadhi

🕒 Local time

20:08 8:08 PM

Same time as Kathmandu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

975,000 Capital

102,000

💱 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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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 Dhangadhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $485 in Kathmandu, $82.2 in Dhangadhi – roughly 490% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $728 per month in Kathmandu and $123 in Dhangadhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kathmandu and $13.00 in Dhangadhi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $485 in Kathmandu and $82.2 in Dhangadhi. That's a gap of about 490%.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $485 in Kathmandu and $82.2 in Dhangadhi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Dhangadhi. 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.