Cost of Living in Nepal - Updated Prices & Insights

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $342 (excluding rent), and $441 including rent.
Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $819 (excluding rent), and $1,011 including rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.80 NPR 266
$1.08 NPR 159
$3.61 NPR 532
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.12 NPR 2,674
$10.87 NPR 1,604
$39.86 NPR 5,884
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 NPR 1,047
$5.68 NPR 838
$8.51 NPR 1,256
Cappuccino
$1.59 NPR 234
$0.72 NPR 106
$3.03 NPR 447
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 NPR 70.5
$0.34 NPR 50.7
$0.83 NPR 123
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 NPR 23.15
$0.14 NPR 20.43
$0.27 NPR 39.49
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.33 NPR 344
$1.50 NPR 222
$4.50 NPR 664
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 NPR 489
$2.20 NPR 325
$5.15 NPR 760
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$0.73 NPR 108
$0.57 NPR 83.6
$1.00 NPR 147
White Bread (500g)
$0.47 NPR 69.7
$0.28 NPR 41.24
$0.77 NPR 114
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.82 NPR 121
$0.49 NPR 71.8
$1.39 NPR 206
Eggs
$1.55 NPR 229
$1.12 NPR 165
$2.57 NPR 379
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.82 NPR 1,154
$2.98 NPR 439
$16.39 NPR 2,419
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.04 NPR 448
$2.12 NPR 312
$4.95 NPR 731
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.89 NPR 870
$2.88 NPR 425
$10.85 NPR 1,602
Apples (1kg)
$2.16 NPR 319
$1.34 NPR 198
$2.83 NPR 418
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 NPR 152
$0.74 NPR 110
$1.64 NPR 242
Oranges (1kg)
$1.20 NPR 178
$0.60 NPR 88.1
$2.17 NPR 321
Tomato (1kg)
$0.64 NPR 94.9
$0.30 NPR 44.40
$1.13 NPR 167
Potato (1kg)
$0.40 NPR 59.2
$0.21 NPR 31.00
$0.70 NPR 103
Onion (1kg)
$0.65 NPR 96.2
$0.37 NPR 54.1
$1.11 NPR 164
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.45 NPR 65.8
$0.17 NPR 25.76
$0.78 NPR 114
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.27 NPR 40.20
$0.19 NPR 27.83
$0.38 NPR 55.7
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.85 NPR 421
$2.14 NPR 316
$3.57 NPR 527
Wine (Bottle)
$6.61 NPR 976
$3.31 NPR 489
$13.23 NPR 1,953
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 NPR 347
$1.49 NPR 221
$3.73 NPR 550
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 NPR 478
$1.80 NPR 266
$4.68 NPR 691
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 NPR 30.86
$0.17 NPR 25.25
$0.34 NPR 50.5
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.88 NPR 1,605
$3.63 NPR 535
$21.77 NPR 3,212
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.16 NPR 318
$1.08 NPR 159
$3.60 NPR 532
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 NPR 141
$0.35 NPR 51.4
$1.73 NPR 256
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.56 NPR 526
$2.13 NPR 315
$7.12 NPR 1,052
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 NPR 188
$1.18 NPR 174
$1.32 NPR 195
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K NPR 4.8M
$25.4K NPR 3.8M
$34.5K NPR 5.1M
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1K NPR 6.1M
$33.1K NPR 4.9M
$51.4K NPR 7.6M
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$33.03 NPR 4,874
$14.29 NPR 2,110
$71.5 NPR 10.6K
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.01 NPR 739
$2.61 NPR 385
$7.44 NPR 1,098
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.00 NPR 1,328
$6.36 NPR 939
$12.73 NPR 1,879
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.01 NPR 2,805
$10.78 NPR 1,591
$35.95 NPR 5,306
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.99 NPR 1,031
$3.58 NPR 528
$10.73 NPR 1,584
Cinema Ticket
$3.10 NPR 458
$2.19 NPR 323
$4.39 NPR 647
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$63.5 NPR 9,370
$25.32 NPR 3,738
$181 NPR 26.7K
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,656 NPR 392.0K
$1,072 NPR 158.2K
$8,575 NPR 1.3M
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.22 NPR 3,574
$11.01 NPR 1,626
$44.07 NPR 6,504
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10 NPR 4,295
$11.05 NPR 1,631
$66.3 NPR 9,788
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$47.65 NPR 7,033
$21.43 NPR 3,163
$85.7 NPR 12.7K
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.63 NPR 4,963
$14.62 NPR 2,158
$58.5 NPR 8,636
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$143 NPR 21.0K
$57.7 NPR 8,512
$288 NPR 42.6K
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$76.0 NPR 11.2K
$28.93 NPR 4,270
$145 NPR 21.3K
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$278 NPR 41.0K
$146 NPR 21.6K
$585 NPR 86.4K
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 NPR 23.5K
$87.7 NPR 12.9K
$366 NPR 54.0K
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,221 NPR 327.8K
$999 NPR 147.4K
$3,328 NPR 491.2K
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,207 NPR 178.2K
$511 NPR 75.4K
$2,384 NPR 351.8K
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$202 NPR 29.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.22
8
15

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

Last update: March 9, 2026

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
29360
22 $311 $449 $706 $1,013
48.74
39.65
2
-
22 $325 $452 $771 $1,014
249.74
89.71
3
-
20 $287 $401 $652 $918
128.34
44.15
4
-
20 $295 $386 $737 $883
38.52
89.8
5
369268
20 $306 $398 $662 $933
98.79
69.99
6
104444
20 $336 $394 $692 $913
165.93
50.33
7
166674
19 $337 $380 $630 $877
177.54
105.41
8
47914
20 $311 $391 $765 $913
289.7
56.58
9
135904
19 $265 $380 $693 $839
106.92
70.89
10
-
20 $324 $397 $799 $960
80.91
46.8
11
-
18 $302 $363 $801 $905
109.09
57.19
12
-
20 $354 $397 $771 $906
265.46
65.58
13
-
20 $277 $404 $692 $921
-
-
14
102000
20 $342 $408 $687 $926
77.18
52.94
15
-
17 $285 $342 $766 $780
167.87
100.47
16
-
20 $340 $407 $825 $926
146.58
83.44
17
-
20 $307 $405 $791 $923
149.05
51.58
18
-
20 $342 $396 $725 $935
144.99
36.53
19
-
18 $297 $366 $764 $801
17.06
79.67
20
-
18 $360 $361 $800 $933
30.78
53.12
21
-
15 $261 $307 $679 $718
-
-
22
975000
25 $365 $493 $851 $1,103
163.76
123.4
23
-
18 $292 $358 $661 $873
36.86
68.18
24
65602
22 $358 $442 $771 $1,000
48.19
111.35
25
254000
21 $331 $422 $855 $1,095
149.85
107.03
26
-
21 $277 $418 $775 $895
-
-
27
72503
20 $345 $398 $719 $924
36.78
52.63
28
500000
24 $344 $478 $789 $1,014
223.45
67.7
29
63483
20 $315 $397 $764 $864
132.04
92.71
30
-
22 $308 $451 $787 $987
87.41
58.13
31
-
20 $306 $406 $749 $912
27.72
49.66
32
-
21 $329 $417 $872 $959
188.91
48.78
Nepal Median Internet Speeds (Updated January 2026)

Mobile

Download
Mbps
Upload
Mbps
Latency
ms

Fixed Broadband

Download
Mbps
Upload
Mbps
Latency
ms
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
How does Nepal compare in terms of overall affordability for travelers, expats, and digital nomads?
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.
What does day-to-day life look like for housing search, food options, transport, and errands?
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.
How can you maximize quality of life on a traveler or expat budget, and what seasonal or neighborhood factors should you consider?
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.

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