Budget · Kathmandu · Nepal
Kathmandu on a budget
What a trip to Kathmandu really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Irina Gelbukh, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Kathmandu is very affordable for most international visitors. Budget roughly $20–$40 per person per day on a tight budget, $50–$120 mid-range and $180–$600 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in July–August.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $20–$40 a day
- Mid-range
- $50–$120 a day
- Luxury
- $180–$600 a day
- Local currency
- NPR
- Free sights
- 6
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $20–$40 | $60–$120 | $100–$200 | $140–$280 |
| Mid-range | $50–$120 | $150–$360 | $250–$600 | $350–$840 |
| Luxury | $180–$600 | $540–$1,800 | $900–$3,000 | $1,260–$4,200 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Kathmandu, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Plate of momo | about NPR 150–350 |
| Dal bhat set in Thamel | about NPR 350–700 |
| Glass of chiya | about NPR 30–80 |
| Taxi from Thamel to Boudhanath | about NPR 500–800 |
| Heritage site entry (foreign visitors) | about NPR 200–1,800 per site |
| Local beer in a Thamel bar | about NPR 500–900 |
Money-saving tips
- Check whether menu prices include the 10% service charge and 13% VAT before ordering.
- Keep heritage-site tickets with you; some allow re-entry or extensions for longer stays if you ask at the ticket office.
- Use ride-hailing apps or ask your hotel for fair taxi fares to avoid paying several times the local price.
- Buy trekking gear in Thamel rather than at home, but test zips and seams; quality varies widely.
- Withdraw cash in larger amounts where possible; ATM fees per withdrawal add up and some machines run out during festivals.
Free things to do
- Asan and Indra Chowk market walk — The diagonal market street from Thamel to Durbar Square passes Asan Tole, an ancient crossroads of spice, grain and utensil traders around a small temple to Annapurna, and Indra Chowk, where a bead bazaar sells glass necklaces worn by married women.
- Kopan Monastery — On a hilltop north of Boudhanath, this Tibetan Buddhist monastery is home to monks and nuns and runs well-known introductory courses in Buddhism and meditation.
- Budhanilkantha Temple — About 10 km north of the centre, a 5-metre stone statue of Vishnu reclines on a bed of coiled serpents in a pool of water.
- Taudaha Lake — A small lake south-west of the city on the road to Dakshinkali, linked by legend to the draining of the Kathmandu Valley by the bodhisattva Manjushri.
- Freak Street — Jhochhen Tole, the short lane leading south from Basantapur, earned its nickname as the end point of the 1960s and 1970s hippie trail.
- Thamel — Kathmandu's traveller district is a maze of lanes lined with trekking-gear shops, bookshops, singing-bowl stores and rooftop restaurants.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, solo travellers and nightlife
Thamel
The traveller quarter of guesthouses, trekking shops, bars and rooftop cafés
$ · Best for budget, culture and solo travellers
Freak Street and Durbar Square
Old-city lanes and hippie-trail history beside the royal square
$$ · Best for culture, quiet stays, solo travellers and couples
Boudha
Tibetan Buddhist neighbourhood around the great stupa
Eating well for less
- Momo — Everywhere, from street stalls in Asan to Tibetan kitchens in Boudha and restaurants in Thamel.
- Bara — Newari snack shops in Patan and Bhaktapur and khaja houses in the old city.
- Laphing — Small stalls and shops in the lanes around Boudhanath.
- Sel roti — Tea stalls and sweet shops, especially in the festival season of October and November.
Getting around for less
Kathmandu has no metro or tram, and traffic is slow and congested. The old city and Thamel are walkable, while Boudha, Pashupatinath, Patan and Bhaktapur are a taxi or app ride away. Plan around traffic: a 6 km journey can take 40 minutes at rush hour.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Kathmandu cost?
About $250–$600 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $100–$200 on a tight budget.
+Is Kathmandu expensive?
It is very affordable for international visitors. Check whether menu prices include the 10% service charge and 13% VAT before ordering.
+How much money do I need per day in Kathmandu?
Roughly $20–$40 on a budget and $50–$120 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Kathmandu?
Usually in July–August.