Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepal and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepal and India

Name: India
Address: IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $403 in Nepal versus $388 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $664 in Nepal versus $617 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $925 in Nepal versus $846 in India.

Living in Nepal is roughly 4% more expensive than India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Nepal 70% lower, India 71% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $264 to $888, compared to $310–$496 in Nepal. City choice carries more weight in India.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 NPR 272

$2.49 ₹237

-28.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.28 NPR 2,782

$14.20 ₹1,353

28.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 NPR 1,100

$3.98 ₹379

81.66%

Cappuccino

$1.58 NPR 240

$1.88 ₹179

-15.96%

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

$0.48 NPR 73.2

$0.44 ₹41.98

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 28.90

$0.19 ₹18.57

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 NPR 353

$2.02 ₹192

14.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 NPR 489

$3.45 ₹329

-6.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 NPR 112

$0.72 ₹68.3

1.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 NPR 72.1

$0.52 ₹49.26

-9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 NPR 136

$0.72 ₹68.7

23.61%

Eggs

$1.57 NPR 238

$0.93 ₹88.8

68.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 NPR 1,157

$5.24 ₹499

45.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 NPR 470

$3.07 ₹292

0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.06 NPR 922

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 NPR 342

$2.17 ₹207

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 NPR 152

$0.76 ₹72.2

31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 NPR 176

$1.05 ₹100

9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 99.0

$0.53 ₹50.7

22.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 NPR 61.5

$0.39 ₹37.53

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 99.2

$0.49 ₹46.81

32.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 NPR 71.7

$0.52 ₹49.35

-9.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 NPR 38.02

$0.33 ₹31.13

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 NPR 445

$4.05 ₹386

-27.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 NPR 1,086

$7.39 ₹704

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 NPR 346

$1.84 ₹175

23.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NPR 511

$2.90 ₹277

15.86%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.65 ₹538

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.13

$0.36 ₹34.59

-36.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.00 NPR 1,675

$9.74 ₹928

12.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 NPR 336

$0.95 ₹90.6

131.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 NPR 153

$0.30 ₹28.64

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 NPR 565

$1.73 ₹165

114.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NPR 189

$1.23 ₹117

0.81%

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

$33.2K NPR 5.1M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

139.92%

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

$41.5K NPR 6.3M

$22.6K ₹2.2M

83.77%

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

$34.16 NPR 5,200

$40.88 ₹3,894

-16.44%

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

$5.02 NPR 764

$3.91 ₹372

28.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.36 NPR 1,424

$7.81 ₹744

19.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.94 NPR 2,882

$16.15 ₹1,538

17.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.14 NPR 1,087

$7.49 ₹713

-4.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 NPR 458

$3.42 ₹326

-11.99%

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

$62.8 NPR 9,559

$69.9 ₹6,660

-10.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,733 NPR 416.1K

$1,793 ₹170.8K

52.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.36 NPR 3,708

$25.83 ₹2,460

-5.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.43 NPR 4,328

$26.61 ₹2,535

6.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.98 NPR 7,304

$45.24 ₹4,309

6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.70 NPR 5,130

$33.68 ₹3,208

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 NPR 22.2K

$178 ₹17.0K

-18.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.7 NPR 11.7K

$115 ₹10.9K

-33.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 NPR 41.5K

$407 ₹38.8K

-33.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 NPR 24.0K

$264 ₹25.1K

-40.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,107 NPR 320.7K

$1,240 ₹118.1K

69.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 NPR 175.0K

$631 ₹60.1K

82.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$205 NPR 31.1K

$432 ₹41.2K

-52.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.22

9.02

35.48%

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

Last update for Nepal: June 1, 2026

Last update for India: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $101 in Nepal, $127 in India. Capital cities: $195 in Kathmandu vs $239 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $193 in Nepal, $398 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 26% higher in India.

Dining out costs 64% more in Nepal.

Public transport is 350% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 106% higher in India, giving India stronger purchasing power.

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

Nepal vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $576 per month in India and $403 in Nepal, there's a 43% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Nepal is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in India beats Nepal across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Nepal, $800 covers most cities easily. In India, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Nepal wins on affordability; India may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.