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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Pokhara costs about 16% more than Nepalgunj, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 NPR 285

$1.85 NPR 284

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 NPR 2,192

$18.88 NPR 2,901

-24.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 NPR 987

$6.45 NPR 991

-0.31%

Cappuccino

$1.08 NPR 166

$1.54 NPR 237

-29.87%

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

$0.51 NPR 77.7

$0.50 NPR 76.8

2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 23.27

$0.17 NPR 25.62

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 NPR 405

$2.54 NPR 390

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NPR 550

$3.75 NPR 575

-4.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 NPR 121

$0.74 NPR 114

6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 NPR 90.2

$0.54 NPR 83.5

9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 NPR 119

$0.82 NPR 126

-6.10%

Eggs

$1.71 NPR 262

$1.71 NPR 263

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 NPR 1,034

$7.61 NPR 1,168

-11.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 NPR 481

$3.19 NPR 490

-1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 NPR 948

$6.23 NPR 957

-0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 NPR 350

$2.26 NPR 347

0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 NPR 161

$1.09 NPR 168

-3.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 NPR 193

$1.24 NPR 190

1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 107

$0.69 NPR 106

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 NPR 64.9

$0.49 NPR 75.0

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 NPR 112

$0.68 NPR 104

7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 NPR 66.1

$0.53 NPR 81.3

-18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.61

$0.27 NPR 41.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 NPR 435

$2.86 NPR 439

-1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 NPR 1,682

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NPR 358

$2.37 NPR 364

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NPR 497

$3.32 NPR 509

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.25

$0.19 NPR 28.73

21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.73 NPR 3,339

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 NPR 344

$2.23 NPR 343

0.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 NPR 136

$0.81 NPR 125

9.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 NPR 545

$3.73 NPR 574

-4.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 NPR 187

$1.28 NPR 196

-4.69%

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

$31.8K NPR 4.9M

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

-1.03%

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

$37.6K NPR 5.8M

$40.0K NPR 6.1M

-5.86%

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

$33.50 NPR 5,146

$26.88 NPR 4,129

24.63%

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

$5.02 NPR 771

$4.82 NPR 740

4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.51 NPR 1,154

$9.35 NPR 1,436

-19.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.92 NPR 3,368

$18.50 NPR 2,842

18.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.85 NPR 1,360

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 NPR 426

$2.65 NPR 407

4.53%

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

$53.8 NPR 8,270

$72.6 NPR 11.1K

-25.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,160 NPR 331.8K

$2,689 NPR 413.1K

-19.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.48 NPR 3,146

$25.10 NPR 3,855

-18.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 NPR 4,364

$27.84 NPR 4,277

2.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.65 NPR 6,243

$46.34 NPR 7,119

-12.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.87 NPR 5,203

$28.94 NPR 4,446

17.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$145 NPR 22.2K

$105 NPR 16.1K

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 NPR 14.5K

$64.3 NPR 9,876

46.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 NPR 41.8K

$207 NPR 31.9K

31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 NPR 27.3K

$146 NPR 22.4K

21.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,837 NPR 282.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 NPR 95.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 NPR 27.3K

$99.0 NPR 15.2K

79.38%

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 Pokhara: July 14, 2026

Last update for Nepalgunj: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $145 in Pokhara versus $105 in Nepalgunj. 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 $14.00 in Pokhara versus $19.00 in Nepalgunj. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Pokhara vs $133 in Nepalgunj – 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

Pokhara vs Nepalgunj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $470 in Pokhara, $404 in Nepalgunj – roughly 16% apart. Pokhara costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $704 per month in Pokhara and $605 in Nepalgunj. 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 $14.00 in Pokhara and $19.00 in Nepalgunj. 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 $470 in Pokhara and $404 in Nepalgunj, 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.