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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $479 per month in Pokhara vs $1,098 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $747 per month in Pokhara vs $1,435 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,015 per month in Pokhara vs $1,772 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

Pokhara is about 56% cheaper than Quetzaltenango, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pokhara and Quetzaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Pokhara 64% lower, Quetzaltenango 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 NPR 272

$4.11 Q 31.29

-56.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 NPR 2,178

$34.08 Q 260

-58.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 NPR 983

$5.85 Q 44.56

10.43%

Cappuccino

$1.08 NPR 164

$2.55 Q 19.43

-57.65%

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

$0.54 NPR 82.4

$0.48 Q 3.66

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 24.32

$0.49 Q 3.71

-67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 NPR 404

$1.39 Q 10.56

90.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 NPR 565

$1.95 Q 14.85

90.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 NPR 118

$1.82 Q 13.86

-57.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 NPR 89.6

$2.62 Q 19.98

-77.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 NPR 120

$2.03 Q 15.45

-61.08%

Eggs

$1.63 NPR 249

$2.22 Q 16.95

-26.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.71 NPR 1,022

$7.98 Q 60.8

-15.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 NPR 478

$6.27 Q 47.77

-49.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 NPR 928

$9.23 Q 70.3

-34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 NPR 337

$2.41 Q 18.39

-7.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 NPR 161

$1.53 Q 11.66

-30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 NPR 183

$3.12 Q 23.77

-61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 NPR 105

$1.02 Q 7.80

-32.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 NPR 64.8

$1.75 Q 13.31

-75.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 NPR 109

$1.89 Q 14.43

-61.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 NPR 62.3

$0.75 Q 5.74

-45.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.46

$1.22 Q 9.30

-77.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 NPR 452

$3.31 Q 25.25

-10.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 NPR 1,651

$7.94 Q 60.5

36.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 NPR 350

$1.66 Q 12.66

38.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NPR 497

$2.44 Q 18.61

34.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 34.75

$0.27 Q 2.07

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.77 NPR 3,314

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 NPR 329

$3.67 Q 27.94

-41.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 NPR 129

$0.60 Q 4.60

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 NPR 565

$6.61 Q 50.3

-43.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 NPR 186

$0.95 Q 7.24

28.42%

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

$32.0K NPR 4.9M

$15.6K Q 119.0K

104.91%

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

$38.6K NPR 5.9M

$22.7K Q 173.2K

69.94%

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

$33.60 NPR 5,114

$79.4 Q 605

-57.67%

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

$4.86 NPR 740

$13.27 Q 101

-63.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.53 NPR 1,146

$47.94 Q 365

-84.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.26 NPR 3,389

$32.69 Q 249

-31.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.08 NPR 1,382

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 NPR 405

$7.39 Q 56.3

-64.01%

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

$54.7 NPR 8,330

$244 Q 1,859

-77.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,162 NPR 329.1K

$5,720 Q 43.6K

-62.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.27 NPR 3,085

$49.21 Q 375

-58.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 NPR 4,235

$54.1 Q 412

-48.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.93 NPR 6,078

$112 Q 850

-64.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.39 NPR 5,235

$124 Q 946

-72.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 NPR 21.5K

$211 Q 1,606

-32.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.8 NPR 14.4K

$401 Q 3,056

-76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 NPR 40.3K

$376 Q 2,868

-29.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 NPR 26.8K

$260 Q 1,981

-32.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,857 NPR 282.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$629 NPR 95.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 NPR 27.6K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $142 in Pokhara versus $211 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: $150 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: $479 in Pokhara, $1,098 in Quetzaltenango – roughly 129% apart. Quetzaltenango costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $719 per month in Pokhara and $1,647 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 $479 in Pokhara and $1,098 in Quetzaltenango. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $54.7 per month in Pokhara and $244 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 $479 in Pokhara and $1,098 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 $479 in Pokhara to $1,098 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.