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: $402 in Nepalgunj versus $357 in Butwal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $668 in Nepalgunj versus $628 in Butwal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $935 in Nepalgunj versus $900 in Butwal.

Living in Nepalgunj is roughly 13% more expensive than Butwal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nepalgunj 70% lower, Butwal 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.77 NPR 269

$1.80 NPR 273

-1.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.12 NPR 2,910

$19.27 NPR 2,933

-0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 NPR 971

$6.57 NPR 1,000

-2.89%

Cappuccino

$1.54 NPR 235

$1.50 NPR 228

2.67%

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

$0.50 NPR 75.7

$0.50 NPR 75.6

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 23.11

$0.12 NPR 17.73

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 NPR 405

$2.51 NPR 383

5.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NPR 543

$2.04 NPR 310

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 NPR 114

$0.66 NPR 101

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 NPR 83.4

$0.50 NPR 75.5

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 NPR 118

$0.79 NPR 121

-1.27%

Eggs

$1.65 NPR 252

$1.48 NPR 225

11.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 NPR 1,153

$9.03 NPR 1,374

-16.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 NPR 471

$3.24 NPR 494

-4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.15 NPR 936

$6.09 NPR 926

0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 NPR 342

$2.25 NPR 343

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 NPR 165

$0.86 NPR 131

26.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 NPR 181

$1.25 NPR 190

-4.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 98.6

$0.64 NPR 97.8

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 NPR 68.1

$0.48 NPR 72.3

-6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 98.4

$0.68 NPR 104

-4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 NPR 74.3

$0.53 NPR 80.6

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.37

$0.27 NPR 41.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 NPR 435

$2.88 NPR 439

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 NPR 998

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 NPR 346

$2.33 NPR 355

-2.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 NPR 513

$2.23 NPR 339

51.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 NPR 26.93

$0.17 NPR 25.96

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.90 NPR 1,354

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 NPR 327

$1.86 NPR 283

15.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 NPR 125

$0.70 NPR 106

17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 NPR 542

$2.98 NPR 453

19.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 NPR 186

$1.23 NPR 187

-0.81%

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

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

0.31%

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

$40.4K NPR 6.1M

$27.5K NPR 4.2M

47.02%

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

$26.06 NPR 3,965

$14.35 NPR 2,184

81.60%

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

$5.01 NPR 762

$4.85 NPR 737

3.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.92 NPR 1,509

$9.40 NPR 1,430

5.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.30 NPR 2,785

$14.81 NPR 2,253

23.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.10 NPR 1,689

Cinema Ticket

$2.69 NPR 410

$3.05 NPR 464

-11.80%

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

$71.9 NPR 10.9K

$24.79 NPR 3,772

190.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,748 NPR 418.1K

$883 NPR 134.4K

211.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.56 NPR 3,737

$24.84 NPR 3,780

-1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.29 NPR 4,153

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.32 NPR 6,896

$36.20 NPR 5,508

25.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.71 NPR 4,369

$23.21 NPR 3,531

23.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 NPR 15.7K

$51.1 NPR 7,779

101.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.1 NPR 9,757

$30.50 NPR 4,641

110.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 NPR 31.0K

$148 NPR 22.5K

37.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 NPR 22.2K

$112 NPR 17.0K

30.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.2K NPR 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$97.2 NPR 14.8K

$121 NPR 18.4K

-19.55%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Butwal: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $103 in Nepalgunj and $51.1 in Butwal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Butwal pays 24% 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 $144 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 13% 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 24% 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: $103 in Nepalgunj versus $51.1 in Butwal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $71.9 in Nepalgunj versus $24.79 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 13% less than in Nepalgunj. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.