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Delhi vs Kathmandu cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ณ Delhi
๐ณ๐ต Kathmandu
At a glance
- Where Kathmandu is clearly cheaper: Transit (38%โ), Local meal (38%โ), Restaurant dinner (38%โ)
- Where Delhi is clearly cheaper: Convenience store (55%โ), Bottled water (36%โ), Laundry (36%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Delhi is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Delhi 5 vs Kathmandu 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Delhi | Kathmandu | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โน 300$3.57 | Rs 300$2.22 | Kathmandu โ38% |
| Street food1 item | โน 80$0.95 | Rs 150$1.11 | Delhi โ14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โน 1,000$11.9 | Rs 1,000$7.41 | Kathmandu โ38% |
| Coffeeone cup | โน 250$2.98 | Rs 250$1.85 | Kathmandu โ38% |
| Beerone bottle | โน 300$3.57 | Rs 450$3.33 | Kathmandu โ7% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โน 650$7.74 | Rs 800$5.93 | Kathmandu โ23% |
| Bottled water | โน 10$0.12 | Rs 25$0.19 | Delhi โ36% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โน 22$0.27 | Rs 80$0.59 | Delhi โ55% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โน 150$1.79 | Rs 350$2.59 | Delhi โ31% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โน 70$0.83 | Rs 150$1.11 | Delhi โ25% |
| Transitone ride | โน 30$0.36 | Rs 30$0.22 | Kathmandu โ38% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โน 600$7.14 | Rs 1,200$8.89 | Delhi โ20% |
| Hotel night3-star | โน 3,500$41.7 | Rs 5,000$37 | Kathmandu โ11% |
| Studio rent (month) | โน 20,000$238 | Rs 20,000$148 | Kathmandu โ38% |
| Laundry | โน 80$0.95 | Rs 200$1.48 | Delhi โ36% |
| SIM card1 week data | โน 350$4.17 | Rs 700$5.19 | Delhi โ20% |
| Haircutcut | โน 200$2.38 | Rs 350$2.59 | Delhi โ8% |
| 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 | Delhi โ20% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โน 600$7.14 | Rs 1,000$7.41 | similar |
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%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Delhi or Kathmandu?
Kathmandu is 25% cheaper than Delhi. Daily budget $75.9 vs $62.5; a month $1,097 vs $749.
Which is easier to travel, Delhi or Kathmandu?
Delhi is easier: Delhi 3.0/5 vs Kathmandu 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Delhi and Kathmandu?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Delhi is about $1,097 and Kathmandu about $749 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
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.