Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Janakpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Janakpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $494 per month in Kathmandu vs $308 in Janakpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $789 per month in Kathmandu vs $517 in Janakpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,085 per month in Kathmandu vs $726 in Janakpur, rent included.

Kathmandu costs about 60% more than Janakpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kathmandu and Janakpur are more affordable than the global median – Kathmandu 63% lower, Janakpur 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 NPR 286

$1.87 NPR 287

-0.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 NPR 2,915

$10.70 NPR 1,644

77.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 NPR 1,008

$6.36 NPR 976

3.14%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NPR 282

$1.74 NPR 268

5.75%

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

$0.54 NPR 83.3

$0.54 NPR 83.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 NPR 26.97

$0.17 NPR 26.28

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 NPR 409

$2.36 NPR 363

12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 NPR 544

$2.61 NPR 402

35.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 NPR 132

$0.63 NPR 96.6

36.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 NPR 83.6

$0.34 NPR 51.5

58.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 NPR 155

$0.66 NPR 102

53.03%

Eggs

$1.79 NPR 274

$1.82 NPR 280

-1.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 NPR 1,344

$4.27 NPR 656

104.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 NPR 477

$3.21 NPR 493

-3.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 NPR 937

$3.72 NPR 571

63.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 NPR 348

$1.66 NPR 255

36.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 NPR 159

$0.64 NPR 98.8

62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 193

$1.25 NPR 192

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 108

$0.66 NPR 101

6.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 74.7

$0.28 NPR 42.45

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 NPR 112

$0.54 NPR 83.3

35.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 NPR 74.6

$0.23 NPR 35.40

113.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.92

$0.26 NPR 40.18

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 NPR 436

$2.57 NPR 395

10.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 NPR 1,330

$8.79 NPR 1,351

-1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 NPR 364

$1.86 NPR 285

27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 NPR 496

$2.48 NPR 381

30.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.47

$0.20 NPR 30.08

15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.07 NPR 1,701

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 NPR 343

$0.75 NPR 115

197.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 NPR 164

$0.72 NPR 111

48.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 NPR 565

$3.66 NPR 562

0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 189

$1.20 NPR 185

2.50%

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

$31.6K NPR 4.9M

$25.5K NPR 3.9M

24.04%

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

$40.6K NPR 6.2M

$28.7K NPR 4.4M

41.68%

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

$32.99 NPR 5,068

$14.80 NPR 2,273

122.91%

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

$4.73 NPR 727

$4.98 NPR 764

-5.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.72 NPR 1,494

$4.43 NPR 681

119.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.35 NPR 3,433

$11.10 NPR 1,704

101.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 NPR 1,103

$7.49 NPR 1,150

-4.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.24 NPR 498

$3.14 NPR 482

3.18%

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

$89.5 NPR 13.8K

$32.73 NPR 5,028

173.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,834 NPR 588.9K

$3,827 NPR 587.9K

0.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.49 NPR 3,762

$24.11 NPR 3,704

1.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.56 NPR 4,233

$18.30 NPR 2,811

50.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 NPR 8,953

$30.83 NPR 4,736

89.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.85 NPR 5,967

$30.39 NPR 4,668

27.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 NPR 29.8K

$38.02 NPR 5,840

409.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 NPR 15.4K

$21.47 NPR 3,297

367.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 NPR 52.5K

$115 NPR 17.6K

198.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 NPR 28.9K

$87.2 NPR 13.4K

115.55%

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

$323 NPR 49.6K

-14.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

0.67%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: July 13, 2026

Last update for Janakpur: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Kathmandu versus $38.02 in Janakpur. 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 Janakpur, 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 $11.00 in Janakpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $118 – making Janakpur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Janakpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $494 in Kathmandu, $308 in Janakpur – roughly 60% 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 $463 in Janakpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $494 in Kathmandu and $308 in Janakpur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $89.5 per month in Kathmandu and $32.73 in Janakpur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $494 in Kathmandu and $308 in Janakpur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Janakpur – 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 Janakpur. 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.