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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Quetzaltenango costs about 136% more than Pokhara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 Q 30.12

$1.85 NPR 285

113.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 Q 261

$14.27 NPR 2,192

139.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 Q 45.92

$6.43 NPR 987

-6.38%

Cappuccino

$2.48 Q 18.88

$1.08 NPR 166

129.63%

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

$0.49 Q 3.70

$0.51 NPR 77.7

-3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 Q 3.63

$0.15 NPR 23.27

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 Q 10.43

$2.63 NPR 405

-47.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 Q 15.67

$3.58 NPR 550

-42.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 Q 13.93

$0.79 NPR 121

131.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 Q 20.03

$0.59 NPR 90.2

345.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$0.77 NPR 119

164.94%

Eggs

$2.20 Q 16.75

$1.71 NPR 262

28.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Q 60.7

$6.73 NPR 1,034

18.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 Q 48.45

$3.13 NPR 481

103.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$6.17 NPR 948

49.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Q 18.07

$2.28 NPR 350

3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Q 11.47

$1.05 NPR 161

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 Q 22.95

$1.26 NPR 193

138.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.79

$0.70 NPR 107

45.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.91

$0.42 NPR 64.9

302.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Q 15.02

$0.73 NPR 112

169.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Q 5.40

$0.43 NPR 66.1

65.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.08

$0.27 NPR 41.61

340.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Q 24.70

$2.83 NPR 435

14.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 Q 63.0

$10.95 NPR 1,682

-24.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 Q 12.83

$2.33 NPR 358

-27.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.41

$3.24 NPR 497

-25.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

$0.23 NPR 35.25

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.73 NPR 3,339

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 Q 28.16

$2.24 NPR 344

64.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 Q 4.88

$0.89 NPR 136

-28.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 Q 49.39

$3.55 NPR 545

82.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.21

$1.22 NPR 187

-22.13%

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

$15.6K Q 119.3K

$31.8K NPR 4.9M

-50.85%

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

$22.1K Q 168.5K

$37.6K NPR 5.8M

-41.23%

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

$81.3 Q 620

$33.50 NPR 5,146

142.63%

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

$12.93 Q 98.6

$5.02 NPR 771

157.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.81 Q 364

$7.51 NPR 1,154

536.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 Q 249

$21.92 NPR 3,368

49.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.85 NPR 1,360

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 Q 55.7

$2.77 NPR 426

163.54%

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

$242 Q 1,846

$53.8 NPR 8,270

349.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,794 Q 44.2K

$2,160 NPR 331.8K

168.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Q 389

$20.48 NPR 3,146

149.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 Q 402

$28.41 NPR 4,364

85.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Q 841

$40.65 NPR 6,243

171.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Q 926

$33.87 NPR 5,203

258.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 Q 1,653

$145 NPR 22.2K

49.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 Q 3,101

$94.1 NPR 14.5K

332.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 Q 2,887

$272 NPR 41.8K

39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 Q 1,919

$178 NPR 27.3K

41.53%

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 %)

7.69

12.08

-36.34%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: July 13, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $217 in Quetzaltenango versus $145 in Pokhara. 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 $34.00 in Quetzaltenango versus $14.00 in Pokhara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $152 – 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

Quetzaltenango vs Pokhara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,665 per month in Quetzaltenango and $704 in Pokhara. 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 $1,110 in Quetzaltenango and $470 in Pokhara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $242 per month in Quetzaltenango and $53.8 in Pokhara. 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 $1,110 in Quetzaltenango and $470 in Pokhara, 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.