🇳🇵Cost of Living in Kathmandu

Nepal · Population: 1,442,271 · Cost Index: 20/100

Cost of Living in Kathmandu

Nepal · Asia

Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal, nestled in a valley surrounded by the Himalayas. It is a cultural hub with ancient temples, bustling bazaars, and extremely low living costs, making it popular with budget travelers and digital nomads.

1,442,271

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $480 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Kathmandu

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$480

per month

Couple

$720

per month

Family of 4

$1,010

per month

Student

$360

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Kathmandu, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $228.75

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$180.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$95.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$420.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$220.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $2.56

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$1.80

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$10.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$4.50

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$0.85

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$0.55

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.60

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$1.40

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.00

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.20

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.70

Transportation

Avg: $2.82

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$12.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$0.50

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.25

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.15

Utilities

Avg: $16.33

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$30.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$4.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$15.00

Healthcare

Avg: $6.67

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$7.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$10.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$3.00

Entertainment

Avg: $5.25

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$15.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$2.50

Cappuccino(per cup)

$1.50

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$2.00

Clothing

Avg: $27.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$22.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$12.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$48.00

Popular Kathmandu comparisons

Kathmandu vs New York Kathmandu vs London Kathmandu vs Tokyo Kathmandu vs Singapore Kathmandu vs Dubai Kathmandu vs Paris Kathmandu vs Berlin Kathmandu vs San Francisco

Frequently asked questions about Kathmandu

Is Kathmandu expensive to live in?

Kathmandu has a cost of living index of 20 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the more affordable cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Kathmandu?

A single person needs an estimated $480 per month to live in Kathmandu, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Kathmandu?

Kathmandu's cost of living index is 20 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Kathmandu?

Kathmandu scores 38 out of 100 for quality of life and 52 out of 100 for safety in our index.