Cost of living in Nepal depends on where in Nepal you want to stay and what facilities you require, ranging from luxurious living to economy lifestyle.
During the mid-90s, as a student I had to struggle to find even a basic room in Kathmandu or Pokhara. A single room used to double as kitchen and bed room. Within a decade, Kathmandu changed as people began having separate rooms for kitchen and sleeping, which back then cost around 30 to 40 dollars.
Cost of living in Nepal per month
Fast forward to 2019, major cities like Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan has now started offering sleek apartment with facilities of shower, water supply in kitchen and parking
space for bikes and cars. People are now more conscious of how they live and cost of living in Kathmandu has increased. The rent expenses depend directly on the area you choose to live. The outlying areas of Kathmandu charge anywhere between NRs. 10000-20000 (US$100 to 200) and in VIP area that rent could go up to NRS. 40000 (US$400).
For foreigners and tourists, average cost of living in Nepal, particularly in a fully furnished and studio apartments is NRs. 30000 to 200,000 a month depending on area and facility you seek and they provide. In all famous tourist cities such as Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan, luxurious and state-of-the-art apartments are coming up everywhere, mostly preferred by foreigners and tourists.
Thamel and Jhamshikhel in Kathmandu are go-to areas for tourists, however for those living for a longer period prefer Narayanthan, Baluwatar, Patan and Bhaktapur.
Cost of living in Nepal vs USA
Cost of living in Nepal per month is way lower than USA. There is perhaps no comparison between USA and Nepal when it comes to facilities. Both accommodation and food are cheaper in Nepal compared to Europe, America and Australia.
But people from developing Asian countries surely feel living in Nepal a bit expensive. If you have any plan to buy electronic item, garments or any other household things, you will need to pay unexpected price since there is no consistency in price.
Cost of living in Nepal compared to India
As regards the cost of living in Nepal compared to India, Nepal is slightly cheaper but other commodities like food and drinks are higher. Compared to India, Nepal is less crowded and the weather is very pleasant.
Average cost of living in Nepal
The monthly rental for apartment range from NPR 10000 for basic accommodation to NPR 100000 for well furnished apartment. For tourists the rate can go up from 30000 up to 300000.
Whether you agree with us or not, we would love to hear from you.
If you are looking for advice on making best choice as per your budget and interest, please feel free to ask me at cidartha@outlook.com.
