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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $496 per month in Kathmandu vs $310 in Janakpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $788 per month in Kathmandu vs $519 in Janakpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,080 per month in Kathmandu vs $728 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

$1.77 NPR 270

$1.85 NPR 282

-4.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 NPR 2,895

$11.13 NPR 1,694

70.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 NPR 1,015

$6.36 NPR 968

4.87%

Cappuccino

$1.83 NPR 278

$1.74 NPR 264

5.17%

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

$0.50 NPR 76.4

$0.50 NPR 76.6

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 26.50

$0.16 NPR 24.22

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 NPR 389

$2.37 NPR 361

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NPR 570

$2.59 NPR 394

44.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 NPR 131

$0.65 NPR 98.9

32.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 NPR 90.9

$0.31 NPR 46.84

93.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 NPR 151

$0.67 NPR 102

47.76%

Eggs

$1.77 NPR 269

$1.84 NPR 279

-3.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 NPR 1,384

$4.26 NPR 648

113.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 NPR 473

$3.18 NPR 483

-2.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 NPR 953

$3.66 NPR 558

71.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NPR 332

$1.71 NPR 260

27.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 NPR 168

$0.69 NPR 105

59.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 NPR 187

$1.25 NPR 190

-1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 98.5

$0.69 NPR 104

-5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 74.4

$0.30 NPR 45.99

63.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 NPR 110

$0.55 NPR 83.6

30.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 80.4

$0.21 NPR 31.93

152.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 NPR 37.71

$0.24 NPR 36.38

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 NPR 439

$2.58 NPR 392

12.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 NPR 1,182

$8.00 NPR 1,218

-2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NPR 357

$1.94 NPR 296

21.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 NPR 507

$2.49 NPR 378

33.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.10

$0.18 NPR 27.18

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.80 NPR 1,644

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 NPR 337

$0.75 NPR 114

196.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NPR 167

$0.67 NPR 103

64.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 NPR 552

$3.62 NPR 550

0.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 188

$1.18 NPR 180

4.24%

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

$32.0K NPR 4.9M

$25.1K NPR 3.8M

27.68%

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

$41.0K NPR 6.2M

$29.5K NPR 4.5M

38.81%

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

$33.55 NPR 5,106

$14.52 NPR 2,210

131.06%

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

$5.01 NPR 763

$4.98 NPR 758

0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.37 NPR 1,426

$4.25 NPR 647

120.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.42 NPR 3,413

$10.93 NPR 1,664

105.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 NPR 1,105

$7.14 NPR 1,087

1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.24 NPR 493

$3.16 NPR 482

2.53%

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

$93.0 NPR 14.2K

$33.01 NPR 5,025

181.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,838 NPR 584.2K

$3,836 NPR 583.9K

0.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.41 NPR 3,715

$23.47 NPR 3,573

4.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.40 NPR 4,322

$18.43 NPR 2,805

54.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.5 NPR 8,907

$30.90 NPR 4,703

89.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.72 NPR 6,046

$31.25 NPR 4,757

27.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 NPR 29.6K

$38.84 NPR 5,912

401.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 NPR 15.2K

$22.25 NPR 3,387

350.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 NPR 52.7K

$115 NPR 17.5K

201.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 NPR 28.7K

$87.5 NPR 13.3K

115.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,312 NPR 351.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,354 NPR 206.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 NPR 41.8K

$216 NPR 32.8K

27.32%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Janakpur: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in Kathmandu versus $38.84 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 27% 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 $19.00 in Kathmandu versus $11.00 in Janakpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $117 – 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: $496 in Kathmandu, $310 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 $744 per month in Kathmandu and $465 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 $496 in Kathmandu and $310 in Janakpur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $93.0 per month in Kathmandu and $33.01 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 $496 in Kathmandu and $310 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.