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: $498 in Kathmandu versus $507 in Pokhara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $797 in Kathmandu versus $766 in Pokhara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,097 in Kathmandu versus $1,025 in Pokhara.

Living in Kathmandu costs roughly 2% less than in Pokhara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 64% lower, Pokhara 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 NPR 297

$3.17 NPR 487

-38.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.02 NPR 3,072

$12.86 NPR 1,973

55.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 NPR 1,223

$6.37 NPR 977

25.12%

Cappuccino

$1.53 NPR 234

$0.98 NPR 151

56.12%

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

$0.56 NPR 86.2

$0.54 NPR 83.4

3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 NPR 20.95

$0.16 NPR 24.24

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 NPR 505

$2.44 NPR 374

34.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NPR 550

$3.19 NPR 489

12.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 117

$0.74 NPR 114

2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 NPR 89.4

$0.67 NPR 103

-13.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 NPR 139

$0.65 NPR 100

38.46%

Eggs

$1.67 NPR 256

$1.52 NPR 233

9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 NPR 1,141

$5.78 NPR 887

28.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 NPR 514

$3.04 NPR 466

10.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.02 NPR 923

$5.72 NPR 877

5.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 NPR 321

$2.44 NPR 374

-14.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 NPR 175

$1.30 NPR 199

-12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 NPR 208

$1.21 NPR 186

12.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 NPR 86.1

$0.65 NPR 99.3

-13.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 NPR 64.2

$0.40 NPR 61.7

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 NPR 76.4

$0.87 NPR 133

-42.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 NPR 68.9

$0.39 NPR 60.4

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 NPR 35.28

$0.27 NPR 40.98

-14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 NPR 407

$2.56 NPR 392

3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 NPR 1,220

$10.97 NPR 1,682

-27.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 NPR 352

$2.45 NPR 376

-6.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 NPR 463

$3.75 NPR 575

-19.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 NPR 31.01

$0.22 NPR 33.75

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 NPR 1,483

$19.42 NPR 2,979

-50.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 NPR 296

$1.66 NPR 254

16.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 NPR 204

$0.82 NPR 125

62.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 NPR 496

$2.57 NPR 394

25.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 NPR 210

$1.21 NPR 186

13.22%

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

$29.1K NPR 4.5M

$32.6K NPR 5.0M

-10.69%

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

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

$35.0K NPR 5.4M

5.12%

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

$31.27 NPR 4,798

$66.1 NPR 10.1K

-52.71%

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

$3.45 NPR 530

$5.06 NPR 776

-31.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.05 NPR 1,235

$7.08 NPR 1,085

13.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.88 NPR 3,356

$19.79 NPR 3,036

10.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.99 NPR 1,073

$8.41 NPR 1,290

-16.88%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 NPR 450

$2.43 NPR 372

20.58%

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

$66.8 NPR 10.2K

$47.37 NPR 7,267

41.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,792 NPR 735.2K

$1,981 NPR 304.0K

141.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.66 NPR 4,090

$18.35 NPR 2,816

45.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.20 NPR 4,326

$37.29 NPR 5,721

-24.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 NPR 9,959

$36.60 NPR 5,615

77.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.52 NPR 4,529

$30.82 NPR 4,728

-4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 NPR 34.2K

$124 NPR 19.0K

79.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 NPR 15.5K

$85.8 NPR 13.2K

17.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 NPR 66.7K

$236 NPR 36.3K

84.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 NPR 31.4K

$160 NPR 24.5K

27.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,281 NPR 350.0K

$1,827 NPR 280.2K

24.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 NPR 205.9K

$610 NPR 93.6K

119.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$271 NPR 41.6K

$177 NPR 27.1K

53.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.72

12.5

-22.24%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: September 15, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Kathmandu and $124 in Pokhara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kathmandu vs $13.00 in Pokhara. Groceries flip the comparison at $147 vs $150, with Kathmandu cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Average pay runs 54% higher in Kathmandu, 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: $223 in Kathmandu versus $124 in Pokhara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $13.00 in Pokhara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $498 per month in Kathmandu versus $507 in Pokhara – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $498 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Pokhara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.