Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepalgunj and Pokhara Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepalgunj and Pokhara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $393 per month in Nepalgunj vs $479 in Pokhara, rent included.

A couple spends around $665 per month in Nepalgunj vs $747 in Pokhara, rent included.

A family of three spends $937 per month in Nepalgunj vs $1,015 in Pokhara, rent included.

Nepalgunj is about 18% cheaper than Pokhara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nepalgunj and Pokhara are more affordable than the global median – Nepalgunj 71% lower, Pokhara 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 NPR 279

$1.79 NPR 272

2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 NPR 2,889

$14.31 NPR 2,178

32.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 NPR 1,015

$6.46 NPR 983

3.25%

Cappuccino

$1.56 NPR 238

$1.08 NPR 164

44.44%

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

$0.54 NPR 82.1

$0.54 NPR 82.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.36

$0.16 NPR 24.32

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 NPR 390

$2.65 NPR 404

-3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NPR 545

$3.71 NPR 565

-3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 NPR 112

$0.77 NPR 118

-5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 NPR 89.0

$0.59 NPR 89.6

-1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 NPR 125

$0.79 NPR 120

3.80%

Eggs

$1.67 NPR 254

$1.63 NPR 249

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 NPR 1,144

$6.71 NPR 1,022

11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 NPR 475

$3.14 NPR 478

-0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 NPR 945

$6.09 NPR 928

1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 NPR 346

$2.22 NPR 337

2.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 NPR 166

$1.06 NPR 161

2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 NPR 182

$1.20 NPR 183

-0.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 106

$0.69 NPR 105

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 73.5

$0.43 NPR 64.8

11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 NPR 103

$0.72 NPR 109

-6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 NPR 74.1

$0.41 NPR 62.3

19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.44

$0.27 NPR 41.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 NPR 432

$2.97 NPR 452

-4.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 NPR 1,651

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 NPR 361

$2.30 NPR 350

3.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NPR 497

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 NPR 29.91

$0.23 NPR 34.75

-13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.77 NPR 3,314

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 NPR 333

$2.16 NPR 329

1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 NPR 126

$0.84 NPR 129

-1.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 NPR 567

$3.71 NPR 565

0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 188

$1.22 NPR 186

0.82%

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

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

$32.0K NPR 4.9M

-1.56%

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

$41.3K NPR 6.3M

$38.6K NPR 5.9M

7.00%

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

$26.82 NPR 4,082

$33.60 NPR 5,114

-20.18%

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

$4.78 NPR 727

$4.86 NPR 740

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.50 NPR 1,446

$7.53 NPR 1,146

26.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.44 NPR 2,806

$22.26 NPR 3,389

-17.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.08 NPR 1,382

Cinema Ticket

$2.76 NPR 420

$2.66 NPR 405

3.76%

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

$71.2 NPR 10.8K

$54.7 NPR 8,330

30.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,764 NPR 420.7K

$2,162 NPR 329.1K

27.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.38 NPR 3,710

$20.27 NPR 3,085

20.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.57 NPR 4,196

$27.83 NPR 4,235

-0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.17 NPR 6,875

$39.93 NPR 6,078

13.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.72 NPR 4,372

$34.39 NPR 5,235

-16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$104 NPR 15.8K

$142 NPR 21.5K

-26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.0 NPR 9,740

$94.8 NPR 14.4K

-32.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 NPR 30.8K

$265 NPR 40.3K

-23.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 NPR 22.1K

$176 NPR 26.8K

-17.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,857 NPR 282.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$629 NPR 95.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$98.3 NPR 15.0K

$181 NPR 27.6K

-45.74%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $104 in Nepalgunj versus $142 in Pokhara. 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 Pokhara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Nepalgunj versus $14.00 in Pokhara. Groceries tell a different story – $132 in Nepalgunj vs $150 in Pokhara – so Nepalgunj 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 Pokhara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $393 in Nepalgunj, $479 in Pokhara – roughly 22% apart. Pokhara costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $590 per month in Nepalgunj and $719 in Pokhara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nepalgunj, 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 $14.00 in Pokhara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Pokhara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $393 in Nepalgunj and $479 in Pokhara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Pokhara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $393 in Nepalgunj to $479 in Pokhara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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