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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $404 per month in Nepalgunj vs $470 in Pokhara, rent included.

A couple spends around $669 per month in Nepalgunj vs $738 in Pokhara, rent included.

A family of three spends $934 per month in Nepalgunj vs $1,006 in Pokhara, rent included.

Nepalgunj is about 14% cheaper than Pokhara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nepalgunj and Pokhara are more affordable than the global median – Nepalgunj 70% lower, Pokhara 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 NPR 285

$1.85 NPR 286

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 NPR 2,912

$14.27 NPR 2,201

32.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 NPR 994

$6.43 NPR 991

0.31%

Cappuccino

$1.54 NPR 238

$1.08 NPR 167

42.59%

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

$0.50 NPR 77.1

$0.51 NPR 78.0

-1.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.72

$0.15 NPR 23.36

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 NPR 392

$2.63 NPR 406

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 NPR 578

$3.58 NPR 553

4.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 NPR 114

$0.79 NPR 121

-6.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 NPR 83.8

$0.59 NPR 90.6

-8.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 NPR 126

$0.77 NPR 119

6.49%

Eggs

$1.71 NPR 264

$1.71 NPR 263

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 NPR 1,173

$6.73 NPR 1,038

13.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 NPR 492

$3.13 NPR 483

1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 NPR 960

$6.17 NPR 951

0.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 NPR 349

$2.28 NPR 351

-0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 NPR 168

$1.05 NPR 162

3.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 NPR 191

$1.26 NPR 194

-1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 NPR 107

$0.70 NPR 108

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 75.3

$0.42 NPR 65.2

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 105

$0.73 NPR 113

-6.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 81.6

$0.43 NPR 66.4

23.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.98

$0.27 NPR 41.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 NPR 440

$2.83 NPR 436

1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 NPR 1,688

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 NPR 366

$2.33 NPR 360

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NPR 511

$3.24 NPR 499

2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 NPR 28.84

$0.23 NPR 35.39

-17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.73 NPR 3,352

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 NPR 344

$2.24 NPR 345

-0.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 NPR 126

$0.89 NPR 137

-8.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 NPR 576

$3.55 NPR 547

5.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 NPR 197

$1.22 NPR 188

4.92%

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

$32.2K NPR 5.0M

$31.8K NPR 4.9M

1.04%

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

$40.0K NPR 6.2M

$37.6K NPR 5.8M

6.23%

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

$26.88 NPR 4,146

$33.50 NPR 5,167

-19.76%

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

$4.82 NPR 743

$5.02 NPR 774

-3.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 NPR 1,442

$7.51 NPR 1,159

24.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.50 NPR 2,853

$21.92 NPR 3,381

-15.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.85 NPR 1,365

Cinema Ticket

$2.65 NPR 409

$2.77 NPR 427

-4.33%

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

$72.6 NPR 11.2K

$53.8 NPR 8,302

34.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,689 NPR 414.7K

$2,160 NPR 333.1K

24.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.10 NPR 3,870

$20.48 NPR 3,159

22.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.84 NPR 4,294

$28.41 NPR 4,381

-2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.34 NPR 7,147

$40.65 NPR 6,268

14.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.94 NPR 4,464

$33.87 NPR 5,224

-14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 NPR 16.1K

$145 NPR 22.3K

-27.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.3 NPR 9,915

$94.1 NPR 14.5K

-31.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 NPR 32.0K

$272 NPR 41.9K

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 NPR 22.5K

$178 NPR 27.4K

-17.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,837 NPR 283.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 NPR 95.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$99.0 NPR 15.3K

$178 NPR 27.4K

-44.25%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $105 in Nepalgunj versus $145 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 79% 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 – $133 in Nepalgunj vs $152 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: $404 in Nepalgunj, $470 in Pokhara – roughly 16% apart. Pokhara costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $605 per month in Nepalgunj and $704 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 $404 in Nepalgunj and $470 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 $404 in Nepalgunj to $470 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.