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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,146 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $492 in Pokhara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,441 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $751 in Pokhara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,736 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,010 in Pokhara, rent included.

Quetzaltenango costs about 133% more than Pokhara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Quetzaltenango and Pokhara are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 17% lower, Pokhara 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 Q 52.7

$3.24 NPR 492

113.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.00 Q 374

$13.00 NPR 1,976

276.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 Q 60.0

$6.76 NPR 1,028

16.27%

Cappuccino

$3.48 Q 26.51

$0.97 NPR 148

258.76%

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

$1.11 Q 8.46

$0.49 NPR 75.2

126.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 Q 6.91

$0.13 NPR 20.40

600.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 Q 24.41

$2.54 NPR 386

25.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 Q 36.80

$3.27 NPR 497

47.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 Q 15.81

$0.75 NPR 114

176.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 Q 19.63

$0.63 NPR 95.3

307.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 Q 15.49

$0.70 NPR 106

190.00%

Eggs

$2.57 Q 19.57

$1.52 NPR 231

69.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 Q 47.32

$6.04 NPR 918

2.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 Q 61.6

$2.99 NPR 454

170.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.93 Q 98.6

$5.64 NPR 857

129.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 Q 21.74

$2.53 NPR 385

12.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 Q 13.19

$1.26 NPR 191

37.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 Q 21.39

$1.25 NPR 190

124.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 Q 12.25

$0.69 NPR 105

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 Q 11.42

$0.38 NPR 57.2

294.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Q 15.98

$0.84 NPR 128

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.65

$0.37 NPR 55.9

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Q 9.15

$0.29 NPR 44.61

313.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 Q 24.52

$2.70 NPR 410

19.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 Q 61.3

$10.73 NPR 1,630

-25.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 Q 13.29

$2.43 NPR 370

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 Q 20.52

$3.66 NPR 556

-26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 NPR 30.38

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.11 NPR 3,055

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 Q 40.19

$1.63 NPR 247

223.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 Q 13.35

$0.81 NPR 123

116.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.66 Q 81.2

$2.67 NPR 406

299.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 Q 9.64

$1.20 NPR 183

5.00%

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

$27.4K Q 208.8K

$33.0K NPR 5.0M

-17.00%

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

$25.3K Q 192.8K

$34.5K NPR 5.2M

-26.75%

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

$75.1 Q 572

$66.5 NPR 10.1K

12.89%

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

$13.24 Q 101

$5.33 NPR 810

148.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.12 Q 352

$6.87 NPR 1,044

571.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.25 Q 246

$19.49 NPR 2,962

65.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 NPR 1,270

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 Q 49.81

$2.42 NPR 368

169.83%

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

$345 Q 2,631

$48.13 NPR 7,314

616.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,776 Q 51.7K

$1,953 NPR 296.8K

246.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.66 Q 363

$18.30 NPR 2,781

160.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.43 Q 362

$37.85 NPR 5,752

25.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 Q 831

$35.43 NPR 5,385

207.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 Q 865

$30.64 NPR 4,656

270.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Q 2,977

$128 NPR 19.5K

203.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 Q 3,014

$84.4 NPR 12.8K

368.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 NPR 36.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 NPR 24.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,846 NPR 280.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$619 NPR 94.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 NPR 27.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

12.5

-7.04%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: August 30, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $390 in Quetzaltenango versus $128 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 $49.00 in Quetzaltenango versus $13.00 in Pokhara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $150 – 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: $1,146 in Quetzaltenango, $492 in Pokhara – roughly 133% apart. Quetzaltenango costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,720 per month in Quetzaltenango and $738 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 $1,146 in Quetzaltenango and $492 in Pokhara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $345 per month in Quetzaltenango and $48.13 in Pokhara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pokhara, where all-in costs run around $492, than in Quetzaltenango at $1,146. In Pokhara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quetzaltenango it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Pokhara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $492 in Pokhara to $1,146 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.