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Kathmandu vs Kolkata cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ณ๐ต Kathmandu
๐ฎ๐ณ Kolkata
At a glance
- Where Kolkata is clearly cheaper: Convenience store (60%โ), Scooter rental (46%โ), Laundry (44%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Kolkata is easier to travel (2.4 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Kathmandu 4 vs Kolkata 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Kathmandu | Kolkata | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rs 300$2.22 | โน 180$2.14 | similar |
| Street food1 item | Rs 150$1.11 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ25% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rs 1,000$7.41 | โน 550$6.55 | Kolkata โ12% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rs 250$1.85 | โน 170$2.02 | Kathmandu โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | Rs 450$3.33 | โน 220$2.62 | Kolkata โ21% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rs 800$5.93 | โน 500$5.95 | similar |
| Bottled water | Rs 25$0.19 | โน 10$0.12 | Kolkata โ36% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rs 80$0.59 | โน 20$0.24 | Kolkata โ60% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rs 350$2.59 | โน 150$1.79 | Kolkata โ31% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rs 150$1.11 | โน 60$0.71 | Kolkata โ36% |
| Transitone ride | Rs 30$0.22 | โน 12$0.14 | Kolkata โ36% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rs 1,200$8.89 | โน 400$4.76 | Kolkata โ46% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rs 5,000$37 | โน 3,600$42.9 | Kathmandu โ14% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rs 20,000$148 | โน 11,000$131 | Kolkata โ12% |
| Laundry | Rs 200$1.48 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ44% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rs 700$5.19 | โน 350$4.17 | Kolkata โ20% |
| Haircutcut | Rs 350$2.59 | โน 200$2.38 | Kolkata โ8% |
| Massage1 hour | Rs 2,000$14.8 | โน 1,000$11.9 | Kolkata โ20% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rs 3,000$22.2 | โน 1,500$17.9 | Kolkata โ20% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rs 1,000$7.41 | โน 500$5.95 | Kolkata โ20% |
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, Kathmandu or Kolkata?
Kathmandu and Kolkata cost about the same. Daily budget $62.5 vs $65.3; a month $749 vs $668.
Which is easier to travel, Kathmandu or Kolkata?
Kolkata is easier: Kolkata 2.4/5 vs Kathmandu 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Kathmandu and Kolkata?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Kathmandu is about $749 and Kolkata about $668 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.