Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Siddharthanagar Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Siddharthanagar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Kathmandu versus $396 in Siddharthanagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $778 in Kathmandu versus $622 in Siddharthanagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Kathmandu versus $849 in Siddharthanagar.

Living in Kathmandu is roughly 24% more expensive than Siddharthanagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 64% lower, Siddharthanagar 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.80 NPR 273

$1.79 NPR 272

0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.63 NPR 2,830

$11.11 NPR 1,688

67.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 NPR 990

$6.60 NPR 1,002

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$1.93 NPR 294

$1.84 NPR 279

4.89%

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

$0.50 NPR 76.5

$0.34 NPR 52.4

47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 28.92

$0.15 NPR 22.06

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 NPR 388

$2.53 NPR 385

1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NPR 569

$3.00 NPR 455

24.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 NPR 134

$0.41 NPR 62.0

114.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 NPR 83.7

$0.30 NPR 45.82

83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 NPR 140

$0.41 NPR 62.5

124.39%

Eggs

$1.83 NPR 277

$1.65 NPR 251

10.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 NPR 1,374

$5.48 NPR 833

64.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 NPR 478

$2.95 NPR 448

6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 NPR 938

$2.39 NPR 362

158.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 NPR 336

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 NPR 159

$0.68 NPR 104

54.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 NPR 181

$1.12 NPR 170

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 107

$0.42 NPR 63.5

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 73.7

$0.17 NPR 26.58

188.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 103

$0.46 NPR 69.9

47.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 80.7

$0.53 NPR 79.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.20

$0.25 NPR 38.08

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 NPR 438

$1.37 NPR 208

110.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 NPR 977

$6.64 NPR 1,009

-3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NPR 357

$2.33 NPR 353

0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NPR 484

$3.25 NPR 494

-1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 NPR 31.90

$0.18 NPR 27.47

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.77 NPR 1,637

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 NPR 330

$2.23 NPR 339

-2.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NPR 168

$1.05 NPR 160

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 NPR 556

$3.62 NPR 551

1.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 NPR 192

$1.23 NPR 186

2.44%

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

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

$31.9K NPR 4.8M

-0.52%

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

$40.4K NPR 6.1M

$41.4K NPR 6.3M

-2.26%

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

$32.45 NPR 4,929

$33.09 NPR 5,027

-1.93%

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

$5.02 NPR 763

$4.77 NPR 725

5.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.58 NPR 1,456

$9.56 NPR 1,453

0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.46 NPR 3,412

$18.01 NPR 2,736

24.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.16 NPR 1,088

Cinema Ticket

$3.23 NPR 491

$3.25 NPR 494

-0.62%

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

$92.2 NPR 14.0K

$90.5 NPR 13.7K

1.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,720 NPR 565.1K

$3,794 NPR 576.3K

-1.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.58 NPR 3,734

$25.13 NPR 3,817

-2.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.21 NPR 4,286

$27.60 NPR 4,193

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.5 NPR 8,728

$57.8 NPR 8,781

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.36 NPR 5,979

$39.20 NPR 5,955

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 NPR 29.6K

$106 NPR 16.1K

83.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 NPR 15.6K

$64.7 NPR 9,820

58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 NPR 52.6K

$205 NPR 31.2K

68.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 NPR 28.0K

$147 NPR 22.3K

25.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,349 NPR 356.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,323 NPR 201.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$237 NPR 36.1K

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 Siddharthanagar: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Kathmandu and $106 in Siddharthanagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Kathmandu vs $11.00 in Siddharthanagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $113 per month, with Siddharthanagar 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 Siddharthanagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Siddharthanagar wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Kathmandu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Siddharthanagar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $733 in Kathmandu and $593 in Siddharthanagar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $195 in Kathmandu versus $106 in Siddharthanagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Kathmandu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $489 per month in Kathmandu versus $396 in Siddharthanagar – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Siddharthanagar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Siddharthanagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Kathmandu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.