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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Quetzaltenango costs about 129% more than Pokhara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 Q 31.29

$1.79 NPR 272

129.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.08 Q 260

$14.31 NPR 2,178

138.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 Q 44.56

$6.46 NPR 983

-9.44%

Cappuccino

$2.55 Q 19.43

$1.08 NPR 164

136.11%

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

$0.48 Q 3.66

$0.54 NPR 82.4

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 Q 3.71

$0.16 NPR 24.32

206.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 Q 10.56

$2.65 NPR 404

-47.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 Q 14.85

$3.71 NPR 565

-47.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 Q 13.86

$0.77 NPR 118

136.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 Q 19.98

$0.59 NPR 89.6

344.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 Q 15.45

$0.79 NPR 120

156.96%

Eggs

$2.22 Q 16.95

$1.63 NPR 249

36.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 Q 60.8

$6.71 NPR 1,022

18.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 Q 47.77

$3.14 NPR 478

99.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$6.09 NPR 928

51.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Q 18.39

$2.22 NPR 337

8.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$1.06 NPR 161

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 Q 23.77

$1.20 NPR 183

160.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.80

$0.69 NPR 105

47.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 Q 13.31

$0.43 NPR 64.8

306.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Q 14.43

$0.72 NPR 109

162.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Q 5.74

$0.41 NPR 62.3

82.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Q 9.30

$0.27 NPR 41.46

351.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 Q 25.25

$2.97 NPR 452

11.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 Q 60.5

$10.84 NPR 1,651

-26.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 Q 12.66

$2.30 NPR 350

-27.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 Q 18.61

$3.27 NPR 497

-25.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

$0.23 NPR 34.75

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.77 NPR 3,314

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 Q 27.94

$2.16 NPR 329

69.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.60

$0.84 NPR 129

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 Q 50.3

$3.71 NPR 565

78.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.24

$1.22 NPR 186

-22.13%

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

$15.6K Q 119.0K

$32.0K NPR 4.9M

-51.20%

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

$22.7K Q 173.2K

$38.6K NPR 5.9M

-41.16%

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

$79.4 Q 605

$33.60 NPR 5,114

136.25%

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

$13.27 Q 101

$4.86 NPR 740

173.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.94 Q 365

$7.53 NPR 1,146

536.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.69 Q 249

$22.26 NPR 3,389

46.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.08 NPR 1,382

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 Q 56.3

$2.66 NPR 405

177.82%

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

$244 Q 1,859

$54.7 NPR 8,330

345.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,720 Q 43.6K

$2,162 NPR 329.1K

164.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.21 Q 375

$20.27 NPR 3,085

142.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 Q 412

$27.83 NPR 4,235

94.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 Q 850

$39.93 NPR 6,078

179.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 Q 946

$34.39 NPR 5,235

261.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 Q 1,606

$142 NPR 21.5K

48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 Q 3,056

$94.8 NPR 14.4K

323.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 Q 2,868

$265 NPR 40.3K

42.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 Q 1,981

$176 NPR 26.8K

47.50%

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 %)

7.69

12.08

-36.34%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pokhara: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

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

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