Budget · Pokhara · Nepal
Pokhara on a budget
What a trip to Pokhara really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bhupendra Shrestha, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Pokhara is very affordable for most international visitors. Budget roughly $20–$40 per person per day on a tight budget, $50–$110 mid-range and $150–$450 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in July–August.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $20–$40 a day
- Mid-range
- $50–$110 a day
- Luxury
- $150–$450 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–$110 | $150–$330 | $250–$550 | $350–$770 |
| Luxury | $150–$450 | $450–$1,350 | $750–$2,250 | $1,050–$3,150 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Pokhara, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Dal bhat set at a local restaurant | about Rs 300–600 |
| Plate of momo | about Rs 150–350 |
| Masala tea | about Rs 50–100 |
| Cappuccino in Lakeside | about Rs 200–350 |
| Beer in a Lakeside bar | about Rs 500–800 |
| Taxi from Lakeside to Davis Falls | about Rs 400–700 |
| Scooter rental, per day | about Rs 1,000–1,500 |
| Tandem paragliding flight | about Rs 9,000–15,000 |
Money-saving tips
- Prices are often lower in North Lakeside and Damside than on the central Lakeside strip.
- Room rates fall sharply in the monsoon and in late February; negotiate for longer stays.
- Eat dal bhat at local restaurants for unlimited refills at a fraction of tourist-restaurant prices.
- Compare paragliding and trekking agency prices; many sell the same flights and packages.
- Withdraw cash in Pokhara before treks; ATMs are scarce or absent in the hills.
Free things to do
- World Peace Pagoda — A white Buddhist stupa built by the Japanese Nipponzan Myohoji order on a ridge above the southern shore of Phewa Lake, at about 1,100 metres.
- Bindhyabasini Temple — One of Pokhara's oldest and most important temples, set on a raised platform in the old bazaar and dedicated to Bhagwati, a form of Durga.
- Old Pokhara bazaar walk — The old trading town north of the airport has Newar brick houses with carved windows around Bhairab Tole and Bhimsen Tole, the small pagoda-style Bhimsen Temple and local shops selling copperware, textiles and spices, far from the tourist strip.
- Seti River gorge — The Seti Gandaki River has cut a gorge so deep and narrow through Pokhara's soft deposits that in places it is only a couple of metres wide and invisible until you look down.
- Tibetan refugee settlements — Tibetan refugees settled around Pokhara from the 1960s.
- Matepani Gumba — A Tibetan Buddhist monastery on a hill on Pokhara's eastern side, with colourful prayer halls, young monks and views over the city towards the mountains.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, families, nightlife and food lovers
Lakeside
Guesthouses, cafés, trekking shops and bars along Phewa Lake's eastern shore
$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and quiet stays
North Lakeside
Quieter, greener stretch of guesthouses and yoga retreats beyond the main strip
$ · Best for quiet stays, budget and couples
Damside
Older, quieter tourist area by the Phewa dam with views of Machhapuchhre
Eating well for less
- Momo — Momo shops all over Pokhara, from Lakeside cafés to local eateries near Mahendrapul.
- Sekuwa — Grill restaurants in Lakeside and evening stalls in town.
- Gurung bread — Breakfast menus in Lakeside and in trekking lodges.
- Sel roti — Street stalls and sweet shops, especially at festival time.
- Lakeside bakeries — German-style bakeries and cafés along the Lakeside road.
Getting around for less
Annapurna Conservation Area permit
Required for treks in the Annapurna region; obtained in Pokhara or Kathmandu through the official offices or a registered trekking agency.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Pokhara cost?
About $250–$550 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $100–$200 on a tight budget.
+Is Pokhara expensive?
It is very affordable for international visitors. Prices are often lower in North Lakeside and Damside than on the central Lakeside strip.
+How much money do I need per day in Pokhara?
Roughly $20–$40 on a budget and $50–$110 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Pokhara?
Usually in July–August.