Cost of Living Comparison Between Pokhara and Kathmandu Cost of Living Comparison Between Pokhara and Kathmandu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $507 in Pokhara versus $498 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $766 in Pokhara versus $797 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,025 in Pokhara versus $1,097 in Kathmandu.

Living in Pokhara is roughly 2% more expensive than in Kathmandu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pokhara 63% lower, Kathmandu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 NPR 487

$1.94 NPR 297

63.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.86 NPR 1,973

$20.02 NPR 3,072

-35.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 NPR 977

$7.97 NPR 1,223

-20.08%

Cappuccino

$0.98 NPR 151

$1.53 NPR 234

-35.95%

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

$0.54 NPR 83.4

$0.56 NPR 86.2

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 24.24

$0.14 NPR 20.95

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 NPR 374

$3.29 NPR 505

-25.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NPR 489

$3.58 NPR 550

-10.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 NPR 114

$0.76 NPR 117

-2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 NPR 103

$0.58 NPR 89.4

15.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 100

$0.90 NPR 139

-27.78%

Eggs

$1.52 NPR 233

$1.67 NPR 256

-8.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.78 NPR 887

$7.44 NPR 1,141

-22.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 NPR 466

$3.35 NPR 514

-9.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.72 NPR 877

$6.02 NPR 923

-4.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 NPR 374

$2.09 NPR 321

16.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 NPR 199

$1.14 NPR 175

14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 NPR 186

$1.36 NPR 208

-11.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 99.3

$0.56 NPR 86.1

16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 NPR 61.7

$0.42 NPR 64.2

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 NPR 133

$0.50 NPR 76.4

74.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 NPR 60.4

$0.45 NPR 68.9

-13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 40.98

$0.23 NPR 35.28

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 NPR 392

$2.65 NPR 407

-3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 NPR 1,682

$7.96 NPR 1,220

37.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NPR 376

$2.30 NPR 352

6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 NPR 575

$3.02 NPR 463

24.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 NPR 33.75

$0.20 NPR 31.01

10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.42 NPR 2,979

$9.67 NPR 1,483

100.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NPR 254

$1.93 NPR 296

-13.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 NPR 125

$1.33 NPR 204

-38.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 NPR 394

$3.23 NPR 496

-20.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 NPR 186

$1.37 NPR 210

-11.68%

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

$32.6K NPR 5.0M

$29.1K NPR 4.5M

11.97%

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

$35.0K NPR 5.4M

$36.8K NPR 5.6M

-4.87%

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

$66.1 NPR 10.1K

$31.27 NPR 4,798

111.48%

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

$5.06 NPR 776

$3.45 NPR 530

46.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.08 NPR 1,085

$8.05 NPR 1,235

-12.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 NPR 3,036

$21.88 NPR 3,356

-9.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.41 NPR 1,290

$6.99 NPR 1,073

20.31%

Cinema Ticket

$2.43 NPR 372

$2.93 NPR 450

-17.06%

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

$47.37 NPR 7,267

$66.8 NPR 10.2K

-29.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,981 NPR 304.0K

$4,792 NPR 735.2K

-58.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.35 NPR 2,816

$26.66 NPR 4,090

-31.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 NPR 5,721

$28.20 NPR 4,326

32.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.60 NPR 5,615

$64.9 NPR 9,959

-43.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.82 NPR 4,728

$29.52 NPR 4,529

4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 NPR 19.0K

$223 NPR 34.2K

-44.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.8 NPR 13.2K

$101 NPR 15.5K

-14.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 NPR 36.3K

$435 NPR 66.7K

-45.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 NPR 24.5K

$205 NPR 31.4K

-21.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,827 NPR 280.2K

$2,281 NPR 350.0K

-19.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$610 NPR 93.6K

$1,342 NPR 205.9K

-54.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 NPR 27.1K

$271 NPR 41.6K

-34.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

9.72

28.60%

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

Last update for Pokhara: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Pokhara and $223 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Pokhara vs $20.00 in Kathmandu. Groceries flip the comparison at $150 vs $147, with Kathmandu cheaper for home cooking.

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

Pokhara vs Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Pokhara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Kathmandu. 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: $124 in Pokhara versus $223 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $13.00 in Pokhara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $507 per month in Pokhara versus $498 in Kathmandu – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kathmandu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $498 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Pokhara and Kathmandu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Pokhara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.