Cost of Living Comparison Between Pokhara and Quetzaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Pokhara and Quetzaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $470 per month in Pokhara vs $1,110 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $738 per month in Pokhara vs $1,453 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,006 per month in Pokhara vs $1,797 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

Pokhara is about 58% cheaper than Quetzaltenango, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pokhara and Quetzaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Pokhara 65% lower, Quetzaltenango 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 NPR 285

$3.95 Q 30.12

-53.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 NPR 2,192

$34.24 Q 261

-58.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 NPR 987

$6.02 Q 45.92

6.81%

Cappuccino

$1.08 NPR 166

$2.48 Q 18.88

-56.45%

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

$0.51 NPR 77.7

$0.49 Q 3.70

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 23.27

$0.48 Q 3.63

-68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 NPR 405

$1.37 Q 10.43

91.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NPR 550

$2.06 Q 15.67

73.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 NPR 121

$1.83 Q 13.93

-56.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 NPR 90.2

$2.63 Q 20.03

-77.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 NPR 119

$2.04 Q 15.59

-62.25%

Eggs

$1.71 NPR 262

$2.20 Q 16.75

-22.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 NPR 1,034

$7.96 Q 60.7

-15.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 NPR 481

$6.36 Q 48.45

-50.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 NPR 948

$9.23 Q 70.3

-33.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 NPR 350

$2.37 Q 18.07

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 NPR 161

$1.50 Q 11.47

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 NPR 193

$3.01 Q 22.95

-58.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 107

$1.02 Q 7.79

-31.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 NPR 64.9

$1.69 Q 12.91

-75.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 NPR 112

$1.97 Q 15.02

-62.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 NPR 66.1

$0.71 Q 5.40

-39.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.61

$1.19 Q 9.08

-77.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 NPR 435

$3.24 Q 24.70

-12.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 NPR 1,682

$8.26 Q 63.0

32.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NPR 358

$1.68 Q 12.83

38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NPR 497

$2.42 Q 18.41

33.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.25

$0.27 Q 2.07

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.73 NPR 3,339

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 NPR 344

$3.69 Q 28.16

-39.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 NPR 136

$0.64 Q 4.88

39.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 NPR 545

$6.48 Q 49.39

-45.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 NPR 187

$0.95 Q 7.21

28.42%

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

$31.8K NPR 4.9M

$15.6K Q 119.3K

103.45%

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

$37.6K NPR 5.8M

$22.1K Q 168.5K

70.15%

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

$33.50 NPR 5,146

$81.3 Q 620

-58.78%

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

$5.02 NPR 771

$12.93 Q 98.6

-61.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.51 NPR 1,154

$47.81 Q 364

-84.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.92 NPR 3,368

$32.68 Q 249

-32.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.85 NPR 1,360

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 NPR 426

$7.30 Q 55.7

-62.05%

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

$53.8 NPR 8,270

$242 Q 1,846

-77.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,160 NPR 331.8K

$5,794 Q 44.2K

-62.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.48 NPR 3,146

$51.0 Q 389

-59.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 NPR 4,364

$52.8 Q 402

-46.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.65 NPR 6,243

$110 Q 841

-63.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.87 NPR 5,203

$121 Q 926

-72.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$145 NPR 22.2K

$217 Q 1,653

-33.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 NPR 14.5K

$407 Q 3,101

-76.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 NPR 41.8K

$379 Q 2,887

-28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 NPR 27.3K

$252 Q 1,919

-29.34%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

7.69

57.09%

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

Last update for Pokhara: July 14, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $145 in Pokhara versus $217 in Quetzaltenango. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Pokhara versus $34.00 in Quetzaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $239 – making Pokhara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Quetzaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $470 in Pokhara, $1,110 in Quetzaltenango – roughly 136% apart. Quetzaltenango costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $704 per month in Pokhara and $1,665 in Quetzaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pokhara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $470 in Pokhara and $1,110 in Quetzaltenango. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $53.8 per month in Pokhara and $242 in Quetzaltenango. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $470 in Pokhara and $1,110 in Quetzaltenango, 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 $470 in Pokhara to $1,110 in Quetzaltenango. 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 Pokhara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quetzaltenango makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.