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: $508 in Kathmandu versus $477 in Pokhara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $787 in Kathmandu versus $747 in Pokhara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Kathmandu versus $1,017 in Pokhara.

Living in Kathmandu is roughly 6% more expensive than in Pokhara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 62% lower, Pokhara 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 NPR 274

$1.78 NPR 273

0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.21 NPR 2,943

$14.29 NPR 2,190

34.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 NPR 1,026

$6.44 NPR 986

4.04%

Cappuccino

$1.92 NPR 294

$1.04 NPR 159

84.62%

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

$0.54 NPR 83.4

$0.50 NPR 76.4

8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 29.67

$0.16 NPR 25.25

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 NPR 387

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 NPR 542

$3.55 NPR 543

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 NPR 133

$0.77 NPR 119

12.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 NPR 89.4

$0.55 NPR 84.9

5.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 NPR 145

$0.80 NPR 122

18.75%

Eggs

$1.84 NPR 282

$1.67 NPR 256

10.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 NPR 1,412

$6.36 NPR 974

44.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 NPR 475

$3.12 NPR 478

-0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.04 NPR 925

$6.19 NPR 948

-2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 NPR 348

$2.28 NPR 350

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 NPR 166

$1.04 NPR 160

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 NPR 184

$1.21 NPR 185

-0.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 99.3

$0.69 NPR 106

-5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 73.2

$0.43 NPR 65.7

11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 NPR 103

$0.67 NPR 102

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 NPR 75.8

$0.40 NPR 61.8

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.55

$0.25 NPR 38.24

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 NPR 450

$2.89 NPR 442

1.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 NPR 1,357

$10.56 NPR 1,618

-16.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NPR 359

$2.35 NPR 360

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NPR 501

$3.21 NPR 491

1.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 NPR 32.10

$0.25 NPR 38.45

-16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.03 NPR 1,689

$21.99 NPR 3,369

-49.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 NPR 339

$2.20 NPR 338

0.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 NPR 163

$0.82 NPR 125

29.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 NPR 571

$3.60 NPR 551

3.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NPR 189

$1.23 NPR 189

0.81%

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

$31.4K NPR 4.8M

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

-3.31%

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

$41.4K NPR 6.3M

$38.4K NPR 5.9M

7.71%

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

$33.18 NPR 5,083

$32.79 NPR 5,023

1.19%

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

$4.95 NPR 759

$4.99 NPR 764

-0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.65 NPR 1,478

$7.57 NPR 1,160

27.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 NPR 3,362

$22.15 NPR 3,393

-0.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 NPR 1,142

$9.21 NPR 1,411

-19.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 NPR 492

$2.76 NPR 423

16.30%

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

$91.0 NPR 13.9K

$52.7 NPR 8,067

72.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,763 NPR 576.5K

$2,161 NPR 331.1K

74.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.49 NPR 3,751

$20.28 NPR 3,107

20.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.13 NPR 4,309

$28.00 NPR 4,289

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 NPR 9,066

$40.77 NPR 6,245

45.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.39 NPR 6,187

$34.16 NPR 5,234

18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 NPR 30.3K

$140 NPR 21.4K

41.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 NPR 15.2K

$93.4 NPR 14.3K

6.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 NPR 52.7K

$263 NPR 40.3K

30.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 NPR 28.1K

$175 NPR 26.9K

4.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,331 NPR 357.0K

$1,797 NPR 275.3K

29.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 NPR 201.7K

$616 NPR 94.4K

113.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 NPR 41.2K

$176 NPR 27.0K

52.47%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Kathmandu and $140 in Pokhara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 52% 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 $157 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 6% 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.

Average pay runs 52% 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: $198 in Kathmandu versus $140 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 $508 per month in Kathmandu versus $477 in Pokhara – a 6% 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 $477 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 6% less than in Kathmandu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.