Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nepalgunj and Pokhara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nepalgunj: $171 a month against $495 in Pokhara, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Nepalgunj
Learn more

Nepalgunj Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Pokhara
Learn more

Pokhara Living Index

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Nepalgunj

🇳🇵 Nepal

$171

/mo nomad

Pokhara

🇳🇵 Nepal

$495

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nepalgunj and in Pokhara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nepalgunj and in Pokhara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $171 per month in Nepalgunj vs $495 in Pokhara, rent included.

Nepalgunj $171
Pokhara $495

A couple spends around $287 per month in Nepalgunj vs $758 in Pokhara, rent included.

Nepalgunj $287
Pokhara $758

A family of three spends $403 per month in Nepalgunj vs $1,021 in Pokhara, rent included.

Nepalgunj $403
Pokhara $1,021

Nepalgunj is about 65% cheaper than Pokhara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nepalgunj and Pokhara are more affordable than the global median – Nepalgunj 87% lower, Pokhara 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.28 NPR 498

$2.56 NPR 389

28.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.90 NPR 1,200

$13.29 NPR 2,019

-40.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 NPR 985

$6.67 NPR 1,014

-2.85%

Cappuccino

$1.67 NPR 254

$1.08 NPR 165

54.63%

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

$0.54 NPR 82.3

$0.51 NPR 77.9

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 NPR 17.33

$0.16 NPR 23.58

-31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 NPR 341

$2.55 NPR 387

-12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NPR 486

$3.57 NPR 542

-10.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 NPR 94.9

$0.82 NPR 124

-24.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 NPR 102

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.54 NPR 82.8

$0.66 NPR 100

-18.18%

Eggs

$0.81 NPR 124

$1.79 NPR 273

-54.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 NPR 872

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 NPR 470

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.66 NPR 860

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 NPR 300

$2.52 NPR 383

-21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 103

$1.25 NPR 190

-45.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.66 NPR 101

$1.19 NPR 181

-44.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 NPR 101

$0.65 NPR 99.5

1.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.18 NPR 27.74

$0.41 NPR 62.1

-56.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.25 NPR 37.70

$0.86 NPR 131

-70.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 NPR 60.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.14 NPR 21.47

$0.29 NPR 44.57

-51.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 NPR 392

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 NPR 1,662

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NPR 364

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 NPR 574

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 NPR 52.6

$0.20 NPR 30.36

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.35 NPR 2,940

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 NPR 241

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NPR 115

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 NPR 394

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 NPR 179

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

$32.5K NPR 4.9M

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

$34.9K NPR 5.3M

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

$64.4 NPR 9,782

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

$5.20 NPR 790

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.95 NPR 1,056

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.54 NPR 1,449

$19.67 NPR 2,989

-51.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.40 NPR 1,276

Cinema Ticket

$2.69 NPR 408

$2.48 NPR 377

8.47%

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

$48.45 NPR 7,362

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,976 NPR 300.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.62 NPR 2,981

$18.79 NPR 2,854

4.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.65 NPR 3,897

$36.53 NPR 5,550

-29.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$12.81 NPR 1,946

$35.20 NPR 5,348

-63.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.56 NPR 2,972

$30.88 NPR 4,692

-36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 NPR 19.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.9 NPR 13.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 NPR 36.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 NPR 24.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,801 NPR 273.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$603 NPR 91.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$96.3 NPR 14.6K

$180 NPR 27.4K

-46.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

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

Last update for Nepalgunj: October 13, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Eating Out

Nepalgunj

$86 50.1%

Pokhara

$76 15.4% 11.6% $9.9

Clothing & Footwear

Nepalgunj

$35 20.4%

Pokhara

$55 11% 56.4% $20

Groceries & Markets

Nepalgunj

$34 * 20%

Pokhara

$152 30.7% 343% $118

Sport & Entertainment

Nepalgunj

$15 8.7%

Pokhara

$25 5% 65.3% $9.7

Getting Around

Nepalgunj

$1.4 * 0.8%

Pokhara

$26 5.2% 1737% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nepalgunj

- * 0%

Pokhara

$77 15.5%

Accommodation & Living

Nepalgunj

- * 0%

Pokhara

$86 17.4%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 87% 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 $8.00 in Nepalgunj versus $13.00 in Pokhara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $34.00 vs $152 – making Nepalgunj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Nepalgunj

🇳🇵 Pokhara

🕒 Local time

21:53 9:53 PM

Same time as Nepalgunj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

72,503

500,000

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Nepalgunj Pokhara 230 km

From you

Nepalgunj
Pokhara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $171 in Nepalgunj, $495 in Pokhara – roughly 189% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $257 per month in Nepalgunj and $743 in Pokhara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8.00 in Nepalgunj and $13.00 in Pokhara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $171 in Nepalgunj and $495 in Pokhara. That's a gap of about 189%.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $171 in Nepalgunj and $495 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 $171 in Nepalgunj to $495 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.