Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Pokhara Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Pokhara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Kathmandu versus $479 in Pokhara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $778 in Kathmandu versus $738 in Pokhara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Kathmandu versus $998 in Pokhara.

Living in Kathmandu is roughly 2% more expensive than Pokhara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.80 NPR 273

$1.84 NPR 279

-2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.63 NPR 2,830

$14.31 NPR 2,174

30.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 NPR 990

$6.71 NPR 1,019

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$1.93 NPR 294

$1.07 NPR 163

80.37%

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

$0.50 NPR 76.5

$0.50 NPR 76.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 28.92

$0.19 NPR 28.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 NPR 388

$2.66 NPR 405

-3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NPR 569

$3.67 NPR 557

1.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 NPR 134

$0.76 NPR 116

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 NPR 83.7

$0.56 NPR 84.4

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 NPR 140

$0.73 NPR 111

26.03%

Eggs

$1.83 NPR 277

$1.66 NPR 252

10.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 NPR 1,374

$6.57 NPR 998

37.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 NPR 478

$3.13 NPR 476

0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 NPR 938

$6.06 NPR 921

1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 NPR 336

$2.28 NPR 347

-3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 NPR 159

$1.09 NPR 165

-3.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 NPR 181

$1.21 NPR 184

-1.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 107

$0.65 NPR 98.1

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 73.7

$0.43 NPR 64.8

13.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 103

$0.68 NPR 104

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 80.7

$0.41 NPR 61.5

29.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.20

$0.27 NPR 41.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 NPR 438

$2.90 NPR 440

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 NPR 977

$10.85 NPR 1,648

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NPR 357

$2.28 NPR 347

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NPR 484

$3.22 NPR 489

-0.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 NPR 31.90

$0.23 NPR 34.85

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.77 NPR 1,637

$22.12 NPR 3,361

-51.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 NPR 330

$2.13 NPR 323

1.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NPR 168

$0.83 NPR 126

33.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 NPR 556

$3.68 NPR 560

-0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 NPR 192

$1.28 NPR 194

-1.56%

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

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

-1.29%

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

$40.4K NPR 6.1M

$38.1K NPR 5.8M

6.03%

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

$32.45 NPR 4,929

$32.69 NPR 4,966

-0.73%

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

$5.02 NPR 763

$4.91 NPR 746

2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.58 NPR 1,456

$7.81 NPR 1,186

22.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.46 NPR 3,412

$22.07 NPR 3,353

1.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.16 NPR 1,088

$9.19 NPR 1,396

-22.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.23 NPR 491

$2.78 NPR 423

16.19%

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

$92.2 NPR 14.0K

$53.8 NPR 8,178

71.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,720 NPR 565.1K

$2,198 NPR 333.9K

69.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.58 NPR 3,734

$20.90 NPR 3,174

17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.21 NPR 4,286

$28.08 NPR 4,265

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.5 NPR 8,728

$40.54 NPR 6,158

41.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.36 NPR 5,979

$33.47 NPR 5,084

17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 NPR 29.6K

$141 NPR 21.4K

38.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 NPR 15.6K

$92.9 NPR 14.1K

10.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 NPR 52.6K

$268 NPR 40.7K

29.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 NPR 28.0K

$180 NPR 27.4K

2.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,349 NPR 356.9K

$1,852 NPR 281.4K

26.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,323 NPR 201.0K

$611 NPR 92.8K

116.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$237 NPR 36.1K

$179 NPR 27.3K

32.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

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

Last update for Kathmandu: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Kathmandu and $141 in Pokhara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 32% 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: $19.00 in Kathmandu vs $14.00 in Pokhara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $149 per month, with Pokhara cheaper across the board.

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 Pokhara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pokhara wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Kathmandu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pokhara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Kathmandu pays 32% more on average, 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: $195 in Kathmandu versus $141 in Pokhara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pokhara – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $19.00 in Kathmandu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $489 per month in Kathmandu versus $479 in Pokhara – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pokhara gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pokhara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $479 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pokhara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kathmandu and Pokhara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pokhara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Kathmandu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.