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: $497 in Kathmandu versus $474 in Pokhara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $791 in Kathmandu versus $751 in Pokhara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,084 in Kathmandu versus $1,028 in Pokhara.

Living in Kathmandu is roughly 5% more expensive than Pokhara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 63% lower, Pokhara 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 NPR 272

$1.77 NPR 269

1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 NPR 2,861

$14.42 NPR 2,195

30.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 NPR 1,017

$6.69 NPR 1,019

-0.15%

Cappuccino

$1.92 NPR 292

$1.08 NPR 165

77.78%

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

$0.50 NPR 75.9

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 29.05

$0.18 NPR 26.79

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 NPR 396

$2.63 NPR 400

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NPR 566

$3.53 NPR 538

5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 NPR 136

$0.77 NPR 117

15.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 NPR 83.8

$0.58 NPR 89.0

-5.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 NPR 154

$0.74 NPR 113

36.49%

Eggs

$1.79 NPR 272

$1.69 NPR 258

5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 NPR 1,397

$6.46 NPR 984

42.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 NPR 496

$3.16 NPR 481

3.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 NPR 949

$6.04 NPR 918

3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 NPR 335

$2.27 NPR 345

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 NPR 166

$1.10 NPR 167

-0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 NPR 189

$1.23 NPR 188

0.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 97.9

$0.69 NPR 104

-7.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 72.4

$0.46 NPR 69.7

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 NPR 109

$0.69 NPR 105

4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 NPR 79.3

$0.44 NPR 66.3

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.41

$0.27 NPR 41.27

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 NPR 445

$2.83 NPR 430

3.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 NPR 1,202

$10.59 NPR 1,611

-25.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 NPR 349

$2.27 NPR 345

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 NPR 509

$3.23 NPR 492

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 NPR 31.81

$0.23 NPR 34.93

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.00 NPR 1,674

$21.95 NPR 3,341

-49.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 NPR 341

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 NPR 162

$0.90 NPR 137

18.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 NPR 539

$3.53 NPR 537

0.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 NPR 193

$1.23 NPR 187

3.25%

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

$31.4K NPR 4.8M

$31.9K NPR 4.9M

-1.68%

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

$40.5K NPR 6.2M

$37.5K NPR 5.7M

7.92%

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

$33.35 NPR 5,074

$33.08 NPR 5,033

0.82%

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

$4.74 NPR 722

$4.95 NPR 753

-4.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.57 NPR 1,457

$7.52 NPR 1,144

27.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.34 NPR 3,400

$21.75 NPR 3,310

2.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.19 NPR 1,095

$9.35 NPR 1,423

-23.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 NPR 489

$2.65 NPR 403

21.13%

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

$92.3 NPR 14.0K

$54.0 NPR 8,215

70.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,802 NPR 578.6K

$2,197 NPR 334.3K

73.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.77 NPR 3,769

$20.59 NPR 3,134

20.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.44 NPR 4,328

$27.40 NPR 4,170

3.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.4 NPR 8,734

$39.45 NPR 6,002

45.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.43 NPR 6,000

$34.03 NPR 5,179

15.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 NPR 29.7K

$142 NPR 21.6K

37.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.1 NPR 15.1K

$92.8 NPR 14.1K

6.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 NPR 52.6K

$262 NPR 39.9K

31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 NPR 28.0K

$179 NPR 27.2K

3.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,286 NPR 347.9K

$1,832 NPR 278.8K

24.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,329 NPR 202.2K

$614 NPR 93.4K

116.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 NPR 42.4K

$182 NPR 27.7K

53.06%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Kathmandu and $142 in Pokhara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 53% 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 $156 vs $150 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 5% 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 53% 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 $142 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 $497 per month in Kathmandu versus $474 in Pokhara – a 5% 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 $474 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 5% less than in Kathmandu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.