Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pokhara and Nepalgunj

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.

24

Cost of Living Index in Pokhara
Learn more

Pokhara Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Nepalgunj
Learn more

Nepalgunj Living Index

Jump to prices

Pokhara

🇳🇵 Nepal

$495

/mo nomad

Nepalgunj

🇳🇵 Nepal

$171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pokhara and in Nepalgunj

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

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

Pokhara $495
Nepalgunj $171

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

Pokhara $758
Nepalgunj $287

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

Pokhara $1,021
Nepalgunj $403

Pokhara costs about 189% more than Nepalgunj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 NPR 389

$3.28 NPR 498

-21.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.29 NPR 2,019

$7.90 NPR 1,200

68.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 NPR 1,014

$6.48 NPR 985

2.93%

Cappuccino

$1.08 NPR 165

$1.67 NPR 254

-35.33%

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

$0.51 NPR 77.9

$0.54 NPR 82.3

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 23.58

$0.11 NPR 17.33

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 NPR 387

$2.24 NPR 341

13.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NPR 542

$3.20 NPR 486

11.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 NPR 124

$0.62 NPR 94.9

32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 NPR 102

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 NPR 100

$0.54 NPR 82.8

22.22%

Eggs

$1.79 NPR 273

$0.81 NPR 124

120.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 NPR 872

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 NPR 470

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.66 NPR 860

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 NPR 383

$1.98 NPR 300

27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 190

$0.68 NPR 103

83.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 NPR 181

$0.66 NPR 101

80.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 99.5

$0.66 NPR 101

-1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 NPR 62.1

$0.18 NPR 27.74

127.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 NPR 131

$0.25 NPR 37.70

244.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 NPR 60.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 NPR 44.57

$0.14 NPR 21.47

107.14%

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)

$0.20 NPR 30.36

$0.35 NPR 52.6

-42.86%

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)

$19.67 NPR 2,989

$9.54 NPR 1,449

106.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.40 NPR 1,276

Cinema Ticket

$2.48 NPR 377

$2.69 NPR 408

-7.81%

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)

$18.79 NPR 2,854

$19.62 NPR 2,981

-4.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.53 NPR 5,550

$25.65 NPR 3,897

42.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.20 NPR 5,348

$12.81 NPR 1,946

174.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.88 NPR 4,692

$19.56 NPR 2,972

57.87%

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)

$180 NPR 27.4K

$96.3 NPR 14.6K

87.21%

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 Pokhara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nepalgunj: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Pokhara

$152 30.7%

Nepalgunj

$34 * 20% 77.4% $118

Accommodation & Living

Pokhara

$86 17.4%

Nepalgunj

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pokhara

$77 15.5%

Nepalgunj

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Pokhara

$76 15.4%

Nepalgunj

$86 50.1% 13.1% $9.9

Clothing & Footwear

Pokhara

$55 11%

Nepalgunj

$35 20.4% 36% $20

Getting Around

Pokhara

$26 5.2%

Nepalgunj

$1.4 * 0.8% 94.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Pokhara

$25 5%

Nepalgunj

$15 8.7% 39.5% $9.7

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

Good to know

🇳🇵 Pokhara

🇳🇵 Nepalgunj

🕒 Local time

21:18 9:18 PM

Same time as Pokhara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

500,000

72,503

💱 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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Pokhara Nepalgunj 230 km

From you

Pokhara
Nepalgunj

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

Pokhara vs Nepalgunj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

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

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

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