Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepalgunj and Dharan Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepalgunj and Dharan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $392 per month in Nepalgunj vs $337 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $653 per month in Nepalgunj vs $561 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $914 per month in Nepalgunj vs $785 in Dharan, rent included.

Nepalgunj costs about 16% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nepalgunj and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Nepalgunj 71% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.84 NPR 279

$2.14 NPR 324

-14.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 NPR 2,825

$18.80 NPR 2,846

-0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 NPR 1,007

$6.61 NPR 1,001

0.61%

Cappuccino

$1.49 NPR 226

$1.86 NPR 282

-19.89%

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

$0.53 NPR 80.5

$0.33 NPR 49.56

60.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 28.12

$0.15 NPR 22.85

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 NPR 383

$2.66 NPR 403

-4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 NPR 555

$3.71 NPR 562

-1.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 NPR 113

$0.71 NPR 108

5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 NPR 88.4

$0.37 NPR 56.2

56.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 NPR 117

$0.75 NPR 114

2.67%

Eggs

$1.64 NPR 249

$1.57 NPR 238

4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 NPR 1,150

$7.35 NPR 1,113

3.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 NPR 471

$2.92 NPR 442

6.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.02 NPR 912

$4.99 NPR 756

20.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NPR 330

$1.99 NPR 301

9.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 NPR 164

$0.57 NPR 85.6

89.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 NPR 183

$0.63 NPR 95.8

92.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 97.8

$0.39 NPR 59.0

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 NPR 68.0

$0.30 NPR 46.04

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 96.5

$0.52 NPR 79.0

23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 79.7

$0.53 NPR 79.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.03

$0.20 NPR 30.27

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 NPR 436

$2.93 NPR 443

-1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.05 NPR 461

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 NPR 346

$2.27 NPR 343

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NPR 484

$3.37 NPR 511

-5.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 34.06

$0.18 NPR 27.06

27.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 NPR 335

$2.17 NPR 328

2.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NPR 122

$0.82 NPR 125

-2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 NPR 561

$3.58 NPR 541

3.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 187

$1.36 NPR 206

-9.56%

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

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

$32.3K NPR 4.9M

-0.34%

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

$41.1K NPR 6.2M

$40.5K NPR 6.1M

1.58%

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

$26.90 NPR 4,072

$26.26 NPR 3,975

2.44%

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

$4.93 NPR 746

$4.81 NPR 728

2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.79 NPR 1,483

$11.62 NPR 1,759

-15.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.06 NPR 2,734

$12.51 NPR 1,894

44.36%

Cinema Ticket

$2.69 NPR 407

$2.95 NPR 447

-8.81%

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

$73.0 NPR 11.0K

$21.91 NPR 3,317

232.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,788 NPR 422.1K

$2,693 NPR 407.7K

3.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.70 NPR 3,739

$12.56 NPR 1,901

96.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.45 NPR 4,155

$27.80 NPR 4,209

-1.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.35 NPR 6,866

$28.74 NPR 4,351

57.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.47 NPR 4,309

$32.25 NPR 4,882

-11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 NPR 15.9K

$39.99 NPR 6,054

161.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.8 NPR 9,502

$20.39 NPR 3,087

207.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 NPR 31.4K

$87.8 NPR 13.3K

136.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 NPR 21.7K

$53.9 NPR 8,164

165.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$100 NPR 15.2K

$185 NPR 28.0K

-45.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

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

Last update for Nepalgunj: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dharan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $105 in Nepalgunj versus $39.99 in Dharan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 84% higher in Dharan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Nepalgunj versus $19.00 in Dharan. Groceries tell a different story – $131 in Nepalgunj vs $120 in Dharan – so Dharan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Dharan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nepalgunj costs about 16% more than Dharan, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $588 per month in Nepalgunj and $505 in Dharan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dharan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Nepalgunj and $19.00 in Dharan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Nepalgunj, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $392 in Nepalgunj and $337 in Dharan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Dharan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dharan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nepalgunj makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.