Cost of Living in Kathmandu, 🇳🇵 Nepal - For Locals, Nomads, and Tourists

Researched Updated Oct 25, 2026 Last changed Oct 31, 2026 About costs

Cost breakdown

Digital nomad: short-term stay (1-3 months). Furnished Airbnb or coliving near center, coworking, eating out ~3x/day, travel health insurance.

Expat: long-term resident (1+ years). Renting apartment in center, mix of cooking and dining out, local health insurance, settled lifestyle.

Family: middle-class 4-person family. 2-3 bedroom in suburbs, groceries for 4, international school, car/transport, family health plan.

Local: budget-conscious local resident. Renting outside center, cooking at home, public transport, local phone plan.

Tourist: short-stay visitor (1-14 days). Hotel/Airbnb nightly, all meals at restaurants, taxis, sightseeing.

CategoryCost

Housing 1 2 3 $297 $185 $363 $112 $23

Utilities 26 3 — $10 $21 $6 —

Internet & Mobile 4 5 25 $13 $12 $16 $12 $1

Groceries 15 16 17 21 $95 $85 $221 $60 $6

Transportation 7 8 11 $164 $41 $165 $24 $6

Dining Out 15 16 $174 $99 $148 $30 $12

Leisure Activities 14 24 18 27 $37 $44 $659 $27 $4

Health Insurance 12 $63 $26 $99 $3 —

Visa & Legal Fees 13 $50 $42 $167 — $2

Total $893 $544 $1,859 $274 $54

Itemized prices

Local prices converted to the selected currency.

Housing

Apartment (1 bedroom) 1 $131.89 $99 – $185 per month

Coworking Space 9 $49.46 per month

Airbnb (1 month) 2 3 $296.76 $231 – $363 per month

Coliving Space 1 16 $92.32 per month

Food & Dining

Coffee 15 16 $1.81 per cup

Beer 19 $4.29 per pint

Meal (Inexpensive) 16 $1.65 per meal

Fast Food Combo 15 $2.51 per meal

Apples 21 $1.98 per kg

Bread 16 $0.56 per loaf

Milk 17 $0.73 per liter

Rice 16 $0.46 per kg

Chicken Fillets 16 $3.30 per kg

Beef 16 $6.13 per kg

Wine (Mid-range) 20 $6.26 per bottle

Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) 16 $6.59 per meal

Water (1.5L bottle) 16 $0.20 per bottle

Transportation

Taxi Start 7 $0.33 per trip

Taxi per km 7 $0.33 per km

Monthly Transport Pass 16 $18.46 per month

Gasoline 6 $0.92 per liter

Ride-hailing (5km) 8 $1.95 per trip

Scooter Rental 11 $163.22 per month

Services

Mobile Plan 4 $3.95 per month

Internet (60 Mbps+) 25 $8.18 per month

Gym Membership 14 $23.08 per month

Tennis Court (Weekend) 16 $5.28 per hour

SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) 5 $3.92 one-time

Entertainment

Cinema Ticket 27 $3.50 per ticket

Clothing

Jeans 10 $24.44 per pair

Summer Dress 10 $16.47 per dress

Running Shoes 16 $49.46 per pair

Personal Care

Haircut 10 $2.49 per visit

Laundry 22 $0.66 per kg

Healthcare

Doctor Visit (GP) 28 $5.27 per visit

Pharmacy (basic meds) 23 $0.07 per purchase

About these costs

Method: Researched
Last updated: Oct 25, 2026
Last changed: Oct 31, 2026
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 151.64 NPR on Oct 19, 2026

Checked against the sources below and compared with similar cities. Numbers in the list point to these sources.

Compared with Hanoi, Delhi, Colombo, Chiang Mai

Basobaas 1BR rent bands by neighbourhood, 2026Secondary
Furnished 1BHK Lazimpat NPR 42,500/monthListings
Namaste Apartment furnished 1BK NPR 55,000/month utilities includedListings
Ncell Super Value packs Rs 449–799/30 daysOfficial
Ncell TouristPro SIM from Rs 595/7 daysOfficial
Nepal petrol NPR 139.47/litreIndex
Bagmati taxi meter flag Rs 50, Rs 50/km dayOfficial
Pathao car Rs 100 + Rs 39/km + Rs 1/minSecondary
Wolf Offices coworking NPR 7,500/person/monthOfficial
Livingcost Kathmandu — Jeans $24.44, Haircut $2.49 (cross-check)Index
MeroRide Honda Dio NPR 24,750/monthListings
SafetyWing Essential USD 62.72 per 4 weeksOfficial
Tourist visa USD 30/50/125Official
Gymtaar monthly membership Rs 3,500Official
Mitho Daal Bhat House menu pricesSecondary
Kathmandu food price bands 2026Secondary
Retail milk about Rs 110/litre KathmanduSecondary
International school fee bands Kathmandu 2026Secondary
KohBar Thamel Gorkha Pilsner 650ml Rs 650Secondary
Third Eye house wine Rs 950 per 750ml bottleSecondary
Mustang red apple Rs 300/kg retailListings
Sajha Laundry wash and fold Rs 100/kgListings
Niko 500mg paracetamol tablet Rs 10 unit priceListings
NTB Kathmandu Valley heritage entry feesOfficial
WorldLink 200 Mbps internet-only Rs 14,894/12 monthsOfficial
NEA domestic tariff worked examples (55/105/255 kWh)Official
QFX Civil Mall Premium 2D Rs 530 (QFX offer post)Secondary
Nita Clinic general consultation NPR 800Official

Change history

Oct 31, 2026
- Method Generated Researched
- Airbnb (1 month) 567.4 296.76
- Apartment (1 bedroom) 183.57 131.89
- Apples 2.54 1.98
- Beef 7.68 6.13
- Beer 3.67 4.29
40 more changes
- Bread 0.63 0.56
- Chicken Fillets 5.67 3.3
- Cinema Ticket 4.34 3.5
- Coffee 2.14 1.81
- Coliving Space 300.39 92.32
- Coworking Space 96.79 49.46
- Dining Out local 43.39, nomad 367.14, expat 166.88, family 300.39, tourist 36.71 local 29.64, nomad 173.54, expat 98.92, family 148.38, tourist 11.87
- Doctor Visit (GP) 10.01 5.27
- Fast Food Combo 6.34 2.51
- Gasoline 1.19 0.92
- Groceries local 123.49, nomad 80.1, expat 186.91, family 500.65, tourist 5.34 local 59.54, nomad 94.67, expat 85.14, family 220.89, tourist 5.89
- Gym Membership 36.71 23.08
- Haircut 5.67 2.49
- Health Insurance local 8.01, nomad 70.09, expat 56.74, family 146.86, tourist 0 local 3.3, nomad 62.72, expat 26.38, family 98.92, tourist 0
- Housing local 146.86, nomad 433.89, expat 300.39, family 567.4, tourist 43.39 local 112.11, nomad 296.76, expat 184.65, family 362.83, tourist 23.08
- Internet & Mobile local 12.02, nomad 36.71, expat 30.04, family 53.4, tourist 3 local 12.13, nomad 13.44, family 16.08, tourist 0.56
- Internet (60 Mbps+) 11.01 8.18
- Jeans 34.71 24.44
- Laundry 1.67 0.66
- Leisure Activities local 20.03, nomad 166.88, expat 100.13, family 200.26, tourist 26.7 local 26.58, nomad 37.08, expat 44.08, family 659.46, tourist 4.39
- Meal (Inexpensive) 3 1.65
- Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) 28.04 6.59
- Milk 0.87 0.73
- Mobile Plan 8.01 3.95
- Monthly Transport Pass 18.69 18.46
- Pharmacy (basic meds) 5.67 0.07
- Rice 1.4 0.46
- Ride-hailing (5km) 4.34 1.95
- Running Shoes 63.42 49.46
- SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) 8.01 3.92
- Scooter Rental 12.02 163.22
- Summer Dress 25.37 16.47
- Taxi Start 1.67 0.33
- Taxi per km 0.5 0.33
- Tennis Court (Weekend) 12.02 5.28
- Transportation local 21.36, nomad 100.13, expat 80.1, family 233.63, tourist 16.69 local 23.73, nomad 163.62, expat 41.41, family 164.86, tourist 5.94
- Utilities local 16.69, nomad 40.05, expat 56.74, family 100.13, tourist 0 local 5.99, nomad 0, expat 9.94, family 21.04, tourist 0
- Visa & Legal Fees local 0, nomad 44.72, expat 93.45, family 320.41, tourist 2.67 local 0, nomad 50, expat 41.67, family 166.67, tourist 1.67
- Water (1.5L bottle) 0.37 0.2
- Wine (Mid-range) 14.69 6.26
Scooter Rental moved to MeroRide Honda Dio NPR 24,750/month Source

Kathmandu cost of living