Cost of Living in Nepal

Updated: January 01, 2025

If you've ever considered moving to Nepal, one of the first questions that likely crossed your mind is, "What is the cost of living in Nepal?" After all, it's essential to have a clear picture of your potential expenses before making such a life-changing decision. At this page, we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of the cost of living in Nepal and whether the reported $735 per month figure aligns with the average monthly salary of $191.02.

Restaurants

Markets

Transportation

Childcare

Clothing

Rent Per Month

Buy Apartment

Salaries

Nepal

restaurant Restaurants	Price	World Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant	1.9 $
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course	15.23 $
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)	6.85 $
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught)	2.29 $
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)	3.05 $
Cappuccino (regular)	1.37 $
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle)	0.43 $
Water (12 oz small bottle)	0.18 $

store Markets	Price	World Range
Milk (regular), (1 gallon)	0.7 $
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb)	0.46 $
Rice (white), (1 lb)	0.69 $
Eggs (regular) (12)	1.47 $
Local Cheese (1 lb)	6.76 $
Chicken Fillets (1 lb)	3.07 $
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)	4.59 $
Apples (1 lb)	2.04 $
Banana (1 lb)	0.86 $
Oranges (1 lb)	1.07 $
Tomato (1 lb)	0.58 $
Potato (1 lb)	0.41 $
Onion (1 lb)	0.57 $
Lettuce (1 head)	0.28 $
Water (1.5 liter bottle)	0.25 $
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)	6.86 $
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)	2.08 $
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)	2.96 $
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro)	2.67 $

commute Transportation	Price	World Range
One-way Ticket (Local Transport)	0.19 $
Monthly Pass (Regular Price)	6.09 $
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)	1.9 $
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff)	0.53 $
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)	3.81 $
Gasoline (1 gallon)	1.06 $
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)	30469.59 $
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car)	46345.84 $

mark_as_unread Utilities (Monthly)	Price	World Range
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment	22.23 $
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans)	0.02 $
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)	13.24 $

kitesurfing Sports And Leisure	Price	World Range
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult	24.19 $
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)	8.01 $
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat	3.05 $

child_friendly Childcare	Price	World Range
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child	63.55 $
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child	2840.2 $

checkroom Clothing And Shoes	Price	World Range
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)	19.82 $
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...)	24.56 $
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range)	41.9 $
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes	33.88 $

night_shelter Rent Per Month	Price	World Range
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre	117.94 $
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre	81.01 $
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre	264.98 $
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre	168.68 $

home Buy Apartment Price	Price	World Range
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre	1671.51 $
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre	693.35 $

account_balance_wallet Salaries And Financing	Price	World Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)	191.02 $
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate	12.43 %

Dining Out

The cost of dining varies with the type of establishment. A meal at an affordable restaurant averages around 1.9 USD, while a three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant generally costs 15.23 USD.

Groceries

Basic grocery prices are accessible for most essentials. For instance, a gallon of milk costs about 0.7 USD, a loaf of bread 0.46 USD, and a dozen eggs approximately 1.47 USD.

Transportation

Public transport is relatively affordable, with a single trip priced at about 0.19 USD and a monthly pass around 6.09 USD. If you plan to use public transit regularly, these passes offer great value.

Utilities

For an 85 m² apartment, monthly utility bills—including electricity, heating, water, and waste services—average around 22.23 USD.

Sports and Recreation

For those interested in fitness and leisure, a monthly gym membership averages around 24.19 USD, while an hour on a tennis court on weekends costs about 8.01 USD.

Childcare and Education

Families looking for private childcare services will find that a month at a local preschool or kindergarten costs around 63.55 USD. For international schooling options, annual tuition can reach approximately 2840.2 USD.

Clothing and Footwear

Clothing and shoe prices vary widely. A pair of Levi's 501 jeans, for example, costs about 19.82 USD, and mid-range Nike sneakers are priced around 41.9 USD.

Apartment Rentals

Rental prices depend on location, with a one-bedroom apartment in the city center averaging 117.94 USD per month, while one outside the center costs around 81.01 USD.

Real Estate for Purchase

If you're considering buying property, prices per square foot vary as well. In central areas, the price per square foot is roughly 1671.51 USD, while in the suburbs, it's closer to 693.35 USD.

Average Salary and Mortgage Rates

The average monthly net salary here is about 191.02 USD after taxes, and mortgage interest rates for a 20-year fixed-rate loan average around 12.43% annually.

Warnings & Dangers in Nepal

PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH

Pickpocketing and bag snatching is a very common issue in Nepal. Keep your belongings by your side at all times and try to leave all your valuables in a security deposit box of your hotel.

OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM

Nepal is a relatively safe country to travel to. Though its crime rates are not very high and it's filled with friendly people, its greatest dangers lie in nature, so be very cautious when exploring this country.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: HIGH

Transport is highly risky in Nepal. Avoid traveling to Nepal's hills or mountains by bus or air since it's hundreds of times more dangerous than traveling anywhere else, due to cliff-top locations of airports and stations.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

When it comes to natural disasters, Nepal is susceptible to many of them, such as floods, landslides, fires, epidemic, earthquakes, avalanches, windstorms and droughts.

MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM

There are some areas where cases of mugging have been reported, though violent crime rates are low and foreigners are rarely targeted.

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

Although Nepal has experienced no significant terrorist attacks, it has an open border with India and weak border controls which makes way for the concerns that international terrorist groups could reside in Nepal and use it as a transit state.

SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM

As in any country, there is the risk of getting scammed. You can get overcharged by everyone: street vendors, taxi and bus drivers, and accommodation owners. Double-check every information and pay or try to negotiate everything in advance

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM

Nepal is mostly safe for solo female travelers, though some Nepali men often have strange ideas about the morality of Western women, due to seeing them a certain way in movies and TV shows, seeing the way they dress as immodest and often times immoral. Follow basic common sense and avoid walking alone at night and in poorly lit and secluded areas.

Cost of Living in Nepal

Nepal

Restaurants

Markets

Transportation

Utilities (Monthly)

Sports And Leisure

Childcare

Clothing And Shoes

Rent Per Month

Buy Apartment Price

Salaries And Financing