Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
Bengaluru is easier to travel (2.4 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bengaluru 3 vs Kathmandu 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
| Item | Bengaluru | Kathmandu | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โน 250$2.98 | Rs 300$2.22 | Kathmandu โ25% |
| Street food1 item | โน 80$0.95 | Rs 150$1.11 | Bengaluru โ14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โน 900$10.7 | Rs 1,000$7.41 | Kathmandu โ31% |
| Coffeeone cup | โน 250$2.98 | Rs 250$1.85 | Kathmandu โ38% |
| Beerone bottle | โน 350$4.17 | Rs 450$3.33 | Kathmandu โ20% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โน 650$7.74 | Rs 800$5.93 | Kathmandu โ23% |
| Bottled water | โน 10$0.12 | Rs 25$0.19 | Bengaluru โ36% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โน 30$0.36 | Rs 80$0.59 | Bengaluru โ40% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โน 180$2.14 | Rs 350$2.59 | Bengaluru โ17% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โน 55$0.65 | Rs 150$1.11 | Bengaluru โ41% |
| Transitone ride | โน 25$0.3 | Rs 30$0.22 | Kathmandu โ25% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โน 450$5.36 | Rs 1,200$8.89 | Bengaluru โ40% |
| Hotel night3-star | โน 3,500$41.7 | Rs 5,000$37 | Kathmandu โ11% |
| Studio rent (month) | โน 22,000$262 | Rs 20,000$148 | Kathmandu โ43% |
| Laundry | โน 90$1.07 | Rs 200$1.48 | Bengaluru โ28% |
| SIM card1 week data | โน 350$4.17 | Rs 700$5.19 | Bengaluru โ20% |
| Haircutcut | โน 250$2.98 | Rs 350$2.59 | Kathmandu โ13% |
| Massage1 hour | โน 1,500$17.9 | Rs 2,000$14.8 | Kathmandu โ17% |
| Half-day tourper person | โน 1,500$17.9 | Rs 3,000$22.2 | Bengaluru โ20% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โน 300$3.57 | Rs 1,000$7.41 | Bengaluru โ52% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
Kathmandu is 24% cheaper than Bengaluru. Daily budget $73.7 vs $62.5; a month $1,122 vs $749.
Bengaluru is easier: Bengaluru 2.4/5 vs Kathmandu 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bengaluru is about $1,122 and Kathmandu about $749 per month.
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.