Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Tulsipur

For one person, living is cheaper in Tulsipur: $23.54 a month against $496 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
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Kathmandu Living Index

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Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$496

/mo nomad

Tulsipur

🇳🇵 Nepal

$23.54

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kathmandu and in Tulsipur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kathmandu and in Tulsipur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $496 in Kathmandu versus $24 in Tulsipur.

Kathmandu $496
Tulsipur $24

Estimated couple costs with rent: $795 in Kathmandu versus $41 in Tulsipur.

Kathmandu $795
Tulsipur $41

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,094 in Kathmandu versus $59 in Tulsipur.

Kathmandu $1,094
Tulsipur $59

Living in Kathmandu is roughly 2007% more expensive than in Tulsipur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 63% lower, Tulsipur 98% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 NPR 306

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.67 NPR 3,277

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 NPR 1,198

Cappuccino

$1.56 NPR 235

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

$0.56 NPR 84.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 NPR 20.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 NPR 470

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 NPR 512

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 114

$0.64 NPR 97.4

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 NPR 95.2

$0.25 NPR 37.52

152.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 NPR 143

Eggs

$1.70 NPR 257

$1.16 NPR 176

46.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 NPR 1,164

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 NPR 480

$2.00 NPR 302

58.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.72 NPR 865

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 NPR 306

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 NPR 176

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 NPR 202

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 NPR 82.9

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 58.5

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 NPR 82.7

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 NPR 73.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 NPR 36.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 NPR 398

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 NPR 1,361

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 NPR 333

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 NPR 465

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 NPR 33.17

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.88 NPR 1,494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 NPR 255

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 NPR 184

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 NPR 491

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 NPR 215

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

$35.7K NPR 5.4M

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

$36.2K NPR 5.5M

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

$31.50 NPR 4,763

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

$3.53 NPR 534

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.96 NPR 1,354

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.91 NPR 3,766

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.01 NPR 1,059

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 NPR 437

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

$67.5 NPR 10.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K NPR 2.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.64 NPR 3,272

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.51 NPR 4,009

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 NPR 9,536

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.01 NPR 4,235

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 NPR 35.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 NPR 16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 NPR 67.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 NPR 31.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,324 NPR 351.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 NPR 198.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 NPR 43.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.98

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

Last update for Kathmandu: October 31, 2026

Last update for Tulsipur: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kathmandu

$148 29.8%

Tulsipur

–

Accommodation & Living

Kathmandu

$109 21.9%

Tulsipur

–

Eating Out

Kathmandu

$84 16.9%

Tulsipur

–

Clothing & Footwear

Kathmandu

$63 12.6%

Tulsipur

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kathmandu

$44 8.9%

Tulsipur

–

Sport & Entertainment

Kathmandu

$31 6.2%

Tulsipur

–

Getting Around

Kathmandu

$19 3.7%

Tulsipur

–

Good to know

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Tulsipur

🕒 Local time

10:24 10:24 AM

Same time as Kathmandu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

975,000 Capital

39,058

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.61 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.89 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.61 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Tulsipur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tulsipur wins on cost – living expenses run 95% lower than in Kathmandu. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Tulsipur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $744 in Kathmandu and $35 in Tulsipur 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 529% higher in Kathmandu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $496 per month in Kathmandu versus $24 in Tulsipur – Tulsipur is about 95% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Tulsipur 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.