Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirtipur and Kathmandu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kirtipur: $348 a month against $488 in Kathmandu, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kirtipur, Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal
Kirtipur
🇳🇵 Nepal
$348
/mo nomad
Kathmandu
🇳🇵 Nepal
$488
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kirtipur and in Kathmandu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $348 in Kirtipur versus $488 in Kathmandu.

  • Kirtipur $348
  • Kathmandu $488

Estimated couple costs with rent: $572 in Kirtipur versus $783 in Kathmandu.

  • Kirtipur $572
  • Kathmandu $783

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $796 in Kirtipur versus $1,077 in Kathmandu.

  • Kirtipur $796
  • Kathmandu $1,077

Living in Kirtipur costs roughly 29% less than in Kathmandu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirtipur 74% lower, Kathmandu 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.92 NPR 292
$1.92 NPR 291
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.61 NPR 3,129
$20.72 NPR 3,146
-0.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.27 NPR 1,104
$7.02 NPR 1,065
3.56%
Cappuccino
$1.57 NPR 239
$1.56 NPR 236
0.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 NPR 79.5
$0.51 NPR 78.2
1.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 NPR 24.51
$0.14 NPR 20.87
14.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.16 NPR 479
$3.11 NPR 472
1.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 NPR 495
$3.32 NPR 504
-1.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 NPR 103
$0.77 NPR 117
-11.69%
White Bread (500g)
$0.58 NPR 88.5
$0.62 NPR 93.9
-6.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.90 NPR 137
$0.92 NPR 139
-2.17%
Eggs
$1.73 NPR 263
$1.74 NPR 264
-0.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 NPR 1,107
$7.51 NPR 1,141
-2.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.16 NPR 480
$3.10 NPR 471
1.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.02 NPR 913
$5.99 NPR 909
0.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.02 NPR 306
$2.08 NPR 316
-2.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.16 NPR 176
$1.19 NPR 181
-2.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 NPR 220
$1.44 NPR 219
0.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.54 NPR 82.7
$0.59 NPR 89.3
-8.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.39 NPR 58.7
$0.39 NPR 58.8
-
Onion (1kg)
$0.50 NPR 76.2
$0.54 NPR 81.8
-7.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.45 NPR 68.9
$0.49 NPR 74.8
-8.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 NPR 36.61
$0.22 NPR 33.20
9.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54 NPR 385
$2.46 NPR 373
3.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.05 NPR 1,222
$7.97 NPR 1,209
1.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 NPR 348
$2.30 NPR 349
-0.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 NPR 449
$3.02 NPR 458
-1.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.17 NPR 26.26
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$9.75 NPR 1,481
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.80 NPR 273
$1.79 NPR 272
0.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.16 NPR 177
$1.16 NPR 176
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 NPR 491
$3.33 NPR 505
-3.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 NPR 211
$1.39 NPR 210
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K NPR 5.5M
$35.7K NPR 5.4M
1.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K NPR 5.5M
$35.9K NPR 5.4M
1.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$31.40 NPR 4,767
$31.31 NPR 4,752
0.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.60 NPR 546
$3.58 NPR 544
0.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.95 NPR 1,359
$9.30 NPR 1,411
-3.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$24.50 NPR 3,719
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.97 NPR 1,059
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.90 NPR 440
$2.94 NPR 446
-1.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$65.1 NPR 9,886
$66.9 NPR 10.1K
-2.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,519 NPR 837.7K
$5,521 NPR 838.1K
-0.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.72 NPR 3,601
$23.85 NPR 3,620
-0.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.67 NPR 4,048
$26.77 NPR 4,064
-0.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.3 NPR 9,613
$62.6 NPR 9,509
1.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.39 NPR 4,462
$29.36 NPR 4,457
0.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$217 NPR 32.9K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$104 NPR 15.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$432 NPR 65.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$200 NPR 30.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,336 NPR 354.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,330 NPR 201.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kirtipur
Kathmandu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$268 NPR 40.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.98
9.98
-

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

Last update for Kirtipur: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kirtipur
$145
Kathmandu
$147 1.6% $2.3
Eating Out
Kirtipur
$81
Kathmandu
$80 1.6% $1.3
Clothing & Footwear
Kirtipur
$64
Kathmandu
$64 0.3% $0.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kirtipur
$44
Kathmandu
$44 0.5% $0.2
Getting Around
Kirtipur
$7.6 *
Kathmandu
$18 137% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Kirtipur
$5.8 *
Kathmandu
$30 425% $25
Accommodation & Living
Kirtipur
- *
Kathmandu
$104

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $21 in Kirtipur vs $21 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $147 per month, with Kirtipur cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇵 Kirtipur
🇳🇵 Kathmandu
🕒 Local time
08:07 8:07 AM
08:07 8:07 AM
Same time as Kirtipur
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
65,602
975,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Nepalese Rupee NPR रु
Nepalese Rupee NPR रु
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NPR – Nepalese Rupee Converter

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 152 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 170 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.88 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kirtipur Kathmandu 5 km
From you
  • Kirtipur
  • Kathmandu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kirtipur vs Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kirtipur or Kathmandu?
Kirtipur wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Kathmandu. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kirtipur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kirtipur and in Kathmandu?
You’d need roughly $522 in Kirtipur and $732 in Kathmandu 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.
How do childcare costs compare in Kirtipur and in Kathmandu?
Childcare runs $65 in Kirtipur versus $67 in Kathmandu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How much does it cost to live in Kirtipur compared to Kathmandu?
All in, you’ll spend $348 per month in Kirtipur versus $488 in Kathmandu – Kirtipur is about 29% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kirtipur or in Kathmandu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kirtipur gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Kirtipur or Kathmandu?
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.

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