Kathmandu
Trek outfitting and cheap guesthouses in Thamel.
A day in Kathmandu
$48
- Lean
- $21
- Comfort
- $115
Real change, 12 months
+6.1%
Cheaper. Tracks Nepal as a whole.
Against the rest of Nepal
0.%
About the same than the national figure of $48 a day.
The short answerIn US dollars, as of November 12, 2026
As of November 12, 2026, a mid-range day in Kathmandu costs about $48 per person, excluding flights: about the same as the average for Nepal. For US-dollar travelers it is 6.1% cheaper than a year ago after inflation, in line with Nepal as a whole. Trek outfitting and cheap guesthouses in Thamel.
What your money buys in Nepal
Exchange rates and inflation are national, so the city follows this line. The dashed line is the exchange rate alone; the solid line is after inflation.
Nov 12, 2026After inflation 109.6Exchange rate only 112.4
Kathmandu, in five questions
City costs are the national model scaled by a premium of 0.% that we set by hand. To cite: “Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026.”
- How much does a day in Kathmandu cost?
- About $21 on a lean budget, $48 mid-range and $115 in comfort, per person per day as of November 12, 2026, excluding international flights. These are modeled estimates: the national figure for Nepal, updated daily, scaled by a city premium.
- Is Kathmandu expensive compared with the rest of Nepal?
- Kathmandu costs about the same as the national average for Nepal, which is $48 a day mid-range. Trek outfitting and cheap guesthouses in Thamel.
- Is Kathmandu cheaper to visit than last year?
- The exchange rate moved +5.8% for US-dollar holders over twelve months while prices in Nepal rose +3.2%, a real change of +6.1%. City prices broadly follow the country.
- When is the best time to visit Kathmandu for lower prices?
- For Nepal the shoulder months, with workable weather and lower prices, are February, May, December. Peak season is October, November, March, April.
- Is Kathmandu safe?
- The US State Department rates Nepal at Level 2: Increased caution. Country-wide levels can hide large differences between cities and regions, so read the full advisory.