Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepalgunj and Butwal Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepalgunj and Butwal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $392 in Nepalgunj versus $368 in Butwal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $653 in Nepalgunj versus $632 in Butwal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $914 in Nepalgunj versus $895 in Butwal.

Living in Nepalgunj is roughly 7% more expensive than Butwal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nepalgunj 71% lower, Butwal 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.84 NPR 280

$1.77 NPR 269

3.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 NPR 2,834

$18.74 NPR 2,846

-0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 NPR 1,010

$6.44 NPR 978

3.26%

Cappuccino

$1.49 NPR 227

$1.49 NPR 226

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

$0.53 NPR 80.8

$0.50 NPR 76.2

6.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 28.22

$0.11 NPR 16.79

72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 NPR 385

$2.51 NPR 382

0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 NPR 557

$2.06 NPR 313

78.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 NPR 113

$0.71 NPR 108

5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 NPR 88.8

$0.49 NPR 75.2

18.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 NPR 117

$0.78 NPR 119

-1.28%

Eggs

$1.64 NPR 249

$1.43 NPR 217

14.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 NPR 1,154

$9.11 NPR 1,383

-16.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 NPR 473

$3.20 NPR 486

-2.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.02 NPR 915

$6.27 NPR 952

-3.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NPR 331

$2.29 NPR 348

-4.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 NPR 164

$0.86 NPR 130

25.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 NPR 183

$1.23 NPR 187

-1.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 98.2

$0.70 NPR 106

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 NPR 68.3

$0.49 NPR 74.1

-8.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 96.8

$0.73 NPR 111

-12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 79.9

$0.50 NPR 75.9

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.17

$0.27 NPR 41.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 NPR 438

$2.85 NPR 433

1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 NPR 1,005

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 NPR 347

$2.25 NPR 342

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NPR 486

$2.19 NPR 333

46.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 34.18

$0.17 NPR 25.17

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.86 NPR 1,346

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 NPR 337

$1.87 NPR 283

18.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NPR 122

$0.70 NPR 106

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 NPR 563

$2.93 NPR 444

26.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 188

$1.27 NPR 192

-3.15%

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

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

0.05%

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

$41.1K NPR 6.2M

$27.4K NPR 4.2M

50.36%

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

$26.90 NPR 4,086

$14.63 NPR 2,222

83.87%

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

$4.93 NPR 748

$4.79 NPR 727

2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.79 NPR 1,488

$9.50 NPR 1,443

3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.06 NPR 2,744

$14.45 NPR 2,195

24.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.90 NPR 1,656

Cinema Ticket

$2.69 NPR 408

$3.16 NPR 480

-14.87%

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

$73.0 NPR 11.1K

$24.07 NPR 3,657

203.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,788 NPR 423.6K

$889 NPR 135.1K

213.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.70 NPR 3,751

$25.26 NPR 3,837

-2.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.45 NPR 4,169

$27.47 NPR 4,174

-0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.35 NPR 6,889

$36.51 NPR 5,546

24.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.47 NPR 4,324

$23.71 NPR 3,602

20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 NPR 15.9K

$51.6 NPR 7,842

102.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.8 NPR 9,535

$31.41 NPR 4,771

99.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 NPR 31.6K

$146 NPR 22.2K

42.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 NPR 21.7K

$115 NPR 17.5K

24.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K NPR 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$100 NPR 15.3K

$122 NPR 18.6K

-17.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

0.67%

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

Last update for Nepalgunj: April 25, 2026

Last update for Butwal: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $105 in Nepalgunj and $51.6 in Butwal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Butwal pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Nepalgunj vs $19.00 in Butwal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $131 vs $145 per month, with Nepalgunj 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

Nepalgunj vs Butwal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butwal wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Nepalgunj. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butwal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Butwal earns 22% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $105 in Nepalgunj versus $51.6 in Butwal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $73.0 in Nepalgunj versus $24.07 in Butwal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Butwal – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $19.00 in Nepalgunj. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Butwal 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 Butwal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Nepalgunj. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.