Last update: Oct 2026 29.2M

Cost of Living in Nepal

Name: Nepal
Address: NP

Across Nepal, living costs for one person average $413 a month, including rent and utilities, which take less than a third of the total. Other living expenses average about $10 a day.

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🇳🇵 Nepal

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nepal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nepal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends around $413 per month with rent on average in Nepal.

$413 /mo

A couple spends around $672 per month with rent on average in Nepal.

$672 /mo

A family of three spends around $932 per month with rent on average in Nepal.

$932 /mo

Across 32 cities in Nepal, monthly living costs range from $24 to $498 – a $474 difference that makes location a key factor.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 NPR 294

$0.97 NPR 148

$3.22 NPR 489

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.46 NPR 2,499

$9.88 NPR 1,499

$39.52 NPR 6,000

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 NPR 983

$5.05 NPR 766

$9.71 NPR 1,474

Cappuccino

$1.37 NPR 208

$0.64 NPR 97.5

$2.24 NPR 340

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

$0.51 NPR 77.7

$0.34 NPR 52.4

$1.03 NPR 157

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 23.58

$0.13 NPR 20.44

$0.21 NPR 31.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 NPR 352

$1.46 NPR 222

$4.02 NPR 611

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NPR 484

$1.92 NPR 291

$5.11 NPR 776

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 NPR 107

$0.55 NPR 83.2

$0.88 NPR 133

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 NPR 72.7

$0.25 NPR 38.58

$1.09 NPR 166

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 NPR 119

$0.47 NPR 71.1

$1.33 NPR 203

Eggs

$1.55 NPR 236

$1.11 NPR 168

$2.38 NPR 361

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 NPR 984

$2.90 NPR 440

$12.88 NPR 1,955

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 NPR 447

$1.96 NPR 297

$4.96 NPR 753

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.45 NPR 827

$2.59 NPR 393

$8.72 NPR 1,324

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 NPR 304

$1.27 NPR 193

$2.56 NPR 388

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 NPR 160

$0.67 NPR 101

$1.86 NPR 282

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 NPR 178

$0.60 NPR 90.4

$2.32 NPR 353

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 NPR 86.9

$0.27 NPR 41.08

$1.03 NPR 156

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 NPR 54.1

$0.19 NPR 29.22

$0.54 NPR 81.8

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 NPR 79.6

$0.32 NPR 48.65

$0.96 NPR 146

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 NPR 65.7

$0.16 NPR 25.01

$0.74 NPR 113

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 NPR 38.18

$0.17 NPR 25.45

$0.35 NPR 52.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 NPR 402

$1.98 NPR 301

$3.30 NPR 501

Wine (Bottle)

$7.05 NPR 1,070

$3.35 NPR 509

$16.78 NPR 2,547

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 NPR 359

$1.49 NPR 227

$3.58 NPR 544

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NPR 430

$1.92 NPR 291

$4.48 NPR 679

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 NPR 33.93

$0.18 NPR 27.14

$0.37 NPR 56.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 NPR 1,502

$3.96 NPR 601

$16.49 NPR 2,503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 NPR 246

$0.98 NPR 148

$1.94 NPR 295

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 NPR 157

$0.65 NPR 98.4

$1.61 NPR 245

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 NPR 511

$2.36 NPR 358

$5.39 NPR 819

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 186

$1.05 NPR 159

$1.42 NPR 216

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

$33.2K NPR 5.0M

$28.5K NPR 4.3M

$36.4K NPR 5.5M

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

$34.4K NPR 5.2M

$26.2K NPR 4.0M

$43.2K NPR 6.6M

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

$32.71 NPR 4,965

$16.34 NPR 2,480

$98.1 NPR 14.9K

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

$4.03 NPR 611

$2.26 NPR 344

$9.69 NPR 1,472

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.59 NPR 1,152

$5.13 NPR 778

$11.52 NPR 1,748

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.04 NPR 3,194

$9.86 NPR 1,497

$32.88 NPR 4,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.18 NPR 939

$3.26 NPR 494

$9.78 NPR 1,484

Cinema Ticket

$2.62 NPR 398

$1.92 NPR 291

$3.20 NPR 485

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

$51.4 NPR 7,809

$24.36 NPR 3,698

$132 NPR 20.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,441 NPR 522.4K

$1,196 NPR 181.5K

$12.0K NPR 1.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.23 NPR 3,071

$9.73 NPR 1,478

$45.45 NPR 6,900

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.12 NPR 4,116

$9.66 NPR 1,466

$45.10 NPR 6,846

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.19 NPR 7,013

$19.98 NPR 3,034

$99.9 NPR 15.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.87 NPR 3,775

$12.90 NPR 1,959

$38.71 NPR 5,877

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 NPR 20.2K

$52.3 NPR 7,940

$294 NPR 44.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.4 NPR 9,924

$25.80 NPR 3,916

$129 NPR 19.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 NPR 43.6K

$132 NPR 20.0K

$561 NPR 85.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 NPR 23.4K

$78.1 NPR 11.9K

$260 NPR 39.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,150 NPR 326.5K

$998 NPR 151.5K

$3,326 NPR 504.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,148 NPR 174.3K

$485 NPR 73.6K

$2,263 NPR 343.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 NPR 32.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.57

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

Last update: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Nepal $413

Groceries & Markets

$134 32.4%

Eating Out

$72 17.5%

Accommodation & Living

$65 15.8%

Clothing & Footwear

$53 12.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

$44 10.7%

Sport & Entertainment

$26 6.4%

Getting Around

$18 4.3%

Cost Breakdown

The average net salary in Nepal is $202 – below average monthly costs of $413. Many locals rely on dual incomes or shared housing. Remote workers earning abroad find strong purchasing power here.

Groceries average around $106 per month nationally. A mid-range dinner for two costs about $16.

Most affordable: Tulsipur at $24 per month. The capital, Kathmandu, sits at $488. Across the country, monthly costs span roughly $474 between the cheapest and priciest cities.

Cost Highlights

Overall cost of living ($413) is 70% below the global median of $1,361.

Average rent ($78) is 88% below the global median of $661.

Dinner for two at a restaurant ($16) is 67% below the global median of $48.

Public transport ($12) is 64% below the global median of $33.

Good to know

🕒 Local time

05:06 5:06 AM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,164,578

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.59 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

By City in Nepal

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Baglung	29360	18	$343	$375	$772	$803	48.13	38.33
2	Banepa	67629	16	$291	$323	$703	$734	207.6	97.11
3	Bhadrapur	19523		$248	$264	$568	$613	48.92	48.16
4	Bhaktapur	-	14	$265	$296	$665	$696	93.06	96.42
5	Bharatpur	369268	17	$262	$353	$624	$823	96.25	74.91
6	Bhimdatta	104444		$129	$254	$266	$478	113.95	48.3
7	Biratnagar	166674	15	$267	$319	$633	$731	291.76	100.53
8	Birendranagar	47914		$151	$151	$423	$423	71.99	61.88
9	Birgunj	135904	17	$283	$354	$688	$797	58.26	72.94
10	Birtamod	-	16	$237	$339	$617	$737	67.79	50.88
11	Butwal	195054	16	$293	$334	$721	$835	22.14	56.48
12	Dadeldhurā	19014						27.8	10.69
13	Dang	-		$89.0	$89.0	$197	$197	-	-
14	Dhangadhi	102000		$83.1	$83.1	$232	$232	241.58	53.07
15	Dharan	173096		$58.8	$58.8	$127	$127	95.11	105.35
16	Dhulikhel	16263						44.52	83.81
17	Gaighat	-	14	$268	$300	$659	$691	195.72	56.66
18	Gaur	27325						175.23	65.44
19	Hetauda	195951	17	$296	$347	$683	$767	214.48	85.91
20	Itahari	47984		$215	$231	$496	$576	45.98	58.54
21	Janakpur	195438	14	$258	$294	$604	$717	-	-
22	Kathmandu	975000	23	$352	$488	$846	$1,077	181.35	128.2
23	Kawasoti	-	16	$268	$331	$669	$750	19.7	82.03
24	Kirtipur	65602	17	$316	$348	$764	$796	120.42	106.49
25	Lalitpur	254000	23	$364	$482	$872	$1,255	121.16	113.88
26	Narayangarh, Chitwan	-	17	$322	$353	$724	$756	-	-
27	Nepalgunj	72503		$173	$173	$405	$405	248.03	56.97
28	Pokhara	500000	24	$349	$498	$803	$1,027	227.61	81.83
29	Siddharthanagar	63483	17	$319	$351	$770	$802	50.4	103.29
30	Tansen	23693	17	$317	$349	$765	$797	17.86	57.74
31	Tulsipur	39058		$23.71	$23.71	$59.8	$59.8	63.37	53.02
32	Waling	21867	16	$292	$325	$708	$740	218.13	50.54

Nepal Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Nepal - Frequently Asked Questions

Many find Nepal surprisingly affordable for daily life, especially outside the bustle of major tourist corridors. Fresh produce from markets, street food, and simple meals keep costs low, while guesthouses and long-term stays can offer excellent value away from city centers. Transportation remains wallet-friendly when you use local buses or scooters, while Western-style amenities in tourist pockets can raise costs. Cost of Living in Nepal can feel very favorable when you adopt a simple, locally sourced routine and negotiate longer-term housing. The trade-off is that pace, reliability, and access to Western comforts vary by region. Tip: Map out a few neighborhoods first and try a short stay to calibrate your budget.

Begin with a slow neighborhood scout: central tourist pockets in Kathmandu or Pokhara tend to be pricier than quieter residential wards or smaller towns. For housing, try guesthouses, homestays, or shared flats with monthly rates rather than nightly bookings, and confirm included utilities. Food options span from street stalls to family-run eateries; cooking at home drastically trims costs, while occasional splurges on a favorited cafe are doable with a plan. Transit is budget-friendly – local buses, tempo services, or bicycles – and getting errands done with a mobile SIM and offline maps helps. Nepal living cost varies by region, so plan how you move and where you shop. Tip: Plan a flexible schedule to accommodate local transport and market days.

Adopt a simple budgeting framework: allocate for housing, meals, transport, and activities with a 20–30% buffer for surprises. Seasonality matters: spring and autumn offer milder weather and better rates in many areas, while monsoon months bring travel delays but lush landscapes. Neighborhood fit depends on your work and social rhythm: a quieter suburb minimizes rental costs and noise, while a lively area offers easier social life and coworking. Build a local network for recommendations on markets, clinics, and safe routes. Tip: use seasonal price drops to lock in longer stays and negotiate monthly rents when possible.

Nepal is affordable by global standards, though costs vary a lot by city – from $24 to $498 a month, with the capital above the national average.

In 2026, monthly costs in Nepal range from $24 in the most affordable city to $498 in the most expensive one. Where you choose to live makes a dramatic difference – the gap between cheapest and most expensive cities is huge.

If you want affordable living in Nepal, look at Tulsipur. It offers a real urban experience – restaurants, shops, public transport – at a fraction of capital prices.

Absolutely – in smaller cities across Nepal, $800 covers rent and daily expenses with room to spare for eating out, entertainment, and saving. Even mid-sized cities work at this budget level.

Nepal is broadly affordable – the cheapest cities start at $24 per month, and even more developed areas stay below global averages. It’s accessible to a wide range of incomes and financial situations.