Cost of living 2018 in Nepal

I am sure many other contributors will be more apt and better informed than I to give expats good up to date information on the Cost of Living in Nepal. I will therefore defer to them. In the meantime, however, I would refer expat friends and other readers to the information which the well known site www.numbeo.com has just published, and which is dated January 2018, about this very subject of cost of living in various countries, including Nepal. They publish this information on a country by country basis and that is what they specialize in doing.
Having lived in the country for nearly two decades, it would be unnatural not to say illogical if prices had remained the same in this country over that long span of time - price inflation is a world wide phenomenon and Nepal is no exception. Seems there can be no escaping rising prices!  But prices are one thing and quality of life is equally if not more important to also consider. And in this context, I quote hereafter an excerpt of what this european friend of mine has just written to me from Bologna - (in fact they form a couple - and together, they spent a total of 25 years in Nepal)
"I really think that these days, Nepal seems to be a pretty hopeless place to be. They don't know what they are doing and they are not in the least bit interested in knowing! In the old days, living in Nepal was easy, and life was simple. and that's certainly the way it was when I first started to go there to that country on a regular basis. And in those early days of our long stays there, the Valley was beautiful. Now let's face it, it is hellish"
From another different source, also european, I received a mail from this other friend of mine, this one reading:
"We are in southern France at this point. My husband and I decided to terminate our Project in Nepal because it's impossible to live in Kathmandu. Too much pollution. Last year, my husband contracted a very bad pneumonia in Nepal and he had to spend a long time in a hospital bed there. He's now OK but we both feel it's not worth taking the risk of going back to the Himalayan country, and falling ill all over again"
We also realize, of course, each person will have a different experience as a result of his direct exposure to Nepal. All I can say is the Nepal that I discovered in 1990 is a far cry from the Nepal of 2018. I loved it back then, with the simplicity and kindness of these people. Nowadays, it's like night and day, in comparison. I feel that the people have lost their innocence and with it, the country much of its attraction. Materialism is now so well entrenched. My disenchantment goes way beyond the prevailing price structure...high or low...! At some point, I say "basta" which means enough is enough. Give me a break, guys! Let me off, OK?!

India had a bumper crop of lentil, so the poor farmers in Nepal are seeing about 40% or so less profit. The price of petrol only 102, down from 120 awhile back, which is good news, of course. I cannot comment on other things because everything seems incredibly cheap.

I love the culture here and don't mind things moving a bit slow, so long as they move. Nepal teaches us all important lessons. For me, it's taught me that life isn't about doing, but living. I'm the happiest immigrant on the planet. Maybe I should call myself an 'economic refugee.'

No basic disagreement. It takes all kinds to make a world. From everything I know about Nepal, there's no doubt in my own mind that Nepal is the perfect fool's paradise!!

I just heard the announcement that the prices of petroleum products in Nepal are all resuming their upward trend, and that includes the price of gasoline, diesel and kerosene.

Thanks for message
cost minumum  also and  higher also everything depends on you for live in kathmandu
if really u r interested i can manage hotel and apartment in low cost
for further details u can mail me
***
cell no ***

With Best Regards
Ashok

***

The money goes about 7 to 10 times as far there as it does in the West specifically America.

Kathmandu is polluted but still OK and has a lot to offer if you get past the traffic.

But why live there? Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini or any of a 100 other cities and areas are great too and you have air access at many of those cheaply.  We have a nice house in Chitwan for less than $200 a month in a good area.

It depends on what you are looking for in a country. Many love it and many do not.. Just like here in Utah.

we are working in fast track for made best & better city kathmandu. we don't necessary to say about nepal and nepalese climate. who want to enjoy with nature out side the kathmandu may be memorable and best place in nepal.

it's doesn't matter all over the world petroleum products are fluctuated high low trend.

better and best, we can all hope for paradize in all country? no more reason for our nepalis to live Nepal in search of better life

Sadly the fast track is actually a slow track filled with corruption and graft. But I have faith that Nepal will figure it out but the capital was better under the king.. I don't think Nepalis know what to do with democracy and are learning.

There are many polluted cities in America too and we are working on it but progress is very slow.

Again, the capital is far from the only place to live in nepal.

And do you want to live like a king or like the locals?

Before we had one king and less coruption
Now we have 600 kings and more coruption
Not brite future here for our young. How long to wait for change?

Hello everyone.

Just a reminder,the topic to be discussed here is cost of living in Nepal.Please get back to the topic in question.

Thanks in advance.

Anas,
Expat.com Team

I don't think anyone will disagree with the fact that Nepal's cost of living is one of the lowest in the world, if one to believe the Cost of Living Index published and kept up to date by professional people like Numbeo on the net, whose source has been cited here previously. What must said, however, is that examination of this one index - by itself  - taken out of context with other multiple basic country data  -  is unlikely to provide anyone with a balanced view of prevailing conditions in that one country, anywhere on the planet.
So, yes, out of 117 countries tallied around the world in Numbeo's World Cost of Living Index, Nepal is currently ranked #118, which means that only 9 other countries are cheaper to live in - places like Uganda, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Kosovo, etc.  Yes, again, it's correct to say that based on these stats, it's 61.12% cheaper to live in Nepal than in France, to cite that one example.
That having been said, my gut feeling is that it's misleading to form one's judgement and draw hasty conclusions based on this one factor alone without examining these other factors whose indices are just as important if one is to have a broad-based view, as follows - and which are (Same Source: Numbeo)
QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX     -   PURCHASING POWER INDEX    -  SAFETY INDEX 
HEALTH CARE INDEX       -      PROPERTY PRICE TO INCOME INDEX
TRAFFIC COMMUTE TIME INDEX    -   POLLUTION INDEX     -   CLIMATE INDEX
(in addition to COST OF LIVING INDEX)
Some will no doubt argue that Quality of Life, just to cite that one example, is just as important as Cost of Living, so inquirers can visit that one Quality of Life Index for more and better detailed information. In doing so, I noted that the top countries in that category included Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Australia, Austria, The Netherlands, Germany, N.Z., Japan, USA, in that order,...plus 50 or more OTHER countries, for a total of 60 to 70 other nations, but sorry to see that Nepal's name is nowhere to be found on that particular page listing, obviously relegated to the bottom of the pile.
If one is curious to know where Nepal stands in comparison with other countries in the field of Health Care, to cite another category, click on that other index. You'll soon find out! It's all there in black and white for you to see!

And part of Nepal's increasing cost of living, comes this new official announcement that effective this coming July 17th, there will be a telecom charge of just under 14% levied on Internet Service Providers.  You can bet your bottom dollar that ISPs will pass the bulk of that increase on to local customers like you and me.
As for the electricity supply Nepal gets from India, our big neighbor says it now wants to add a whopping 20% increase to those rates. At last report, Nepal Electricity is trying to resist the increase but it doesn't sound good. We'll soon know.

About cost of living, this other contributor is right. Level of interest rates offered by banks on cash deposits left with them currently remain quite attractive. If on the other hand, one is not so fortunate, cash strapped or have to borrow to re-build etc., it's a fact that nepali banks feel nothing about currently charging their customers as much as 24.6% on loans, as has also just been reported. That's high by any acceptable standard.

And like the Kathmandu Post headlines it, the people are now paying taxes on chickens and goats.

So true about lots of cities in the US being polluted. Even when I was a child there were refrigerators floating down the Hudson River. Nepal is about 50 years behind, but they are catching up pretty fast. So good to see this country develop in the same lifetime.

Rent isn't the only expense that's cheap here. Dental is excellent if you know where to go and they offer everything, but so cheap! Just about any guesthouse, ours included will give a room and food for a good price so a person doesn't have to go out shopping for furniture and incidentals.

I'm trying to get Americans to come here from Aug. to March and then from Nov. to the end of March yearly. They could get testing, explore natural treatments, get X-rays, MRI slice, etc. Dental MRI, for example, is only $11. I've been blogging about such a lifestyle for quite some time, but for a place with very little culture, Americans sure are stuck in it. Here's something I've come up with for us, but I'm sure a person can find such an offer just about anywhere in Nepal: https://frugaltravelsnepal.blogspot.com … treat.html

Most of the Expats, and that includes Embassy officials in the capital, go to Healthy Smiles for dental care. They are experienced professionals and one only hears good things about them. A number of their highly qualified staff received their training abroad and for me, this team of dentists are number one in Kathmandu. They are not cheap by any means - in fact I would say very expensive even by western standards - but like they say, you get what what you pay for! Personally, I'd rather pay more rather than less when it comes to anything medical and health is at stake.
As for Health Care in Nepal, for nepalis generally that is, here is what Wikipedia has to say in their opening paragraph on the subject: "Health Care services in Nepal are provided by both public and private sectors and are generally regarded as failing to meet international standards"
The bottom line is that expats and foreigners in general who come to Nepal perhaps not necessarily knowing the ins and outs - and who's who - and what - would be well advised to hunt and peck and hunt and pick among doctors, hospitals and clinics very carefully. Inquire, get references, weed the good from the bad. It would be a mistake and it could be a serious one too, to just go to "anyone" when it comes to seeking medical care in Nepal. If things were otherwise, Senior Surgeon Dr. K.C. would not be staging his 15th hunger strike and risking his life in the process, in order to denounce malpractices and below standard medical situation and education in his own country of Nepal.

Beinfranciase, I agree that you cannot just go anywhere. But even though I have US insurance that would allow me to go to the British place or the fancy dental place most expats use, I've found better, cheaper options. Face it, even if you go to one of these places you'll still have to deal with Nepali employees. It isn't the equipment, but the hygiene.

A person can go to an INGO hospital with a presence from the west. Care is like what you'd expect in that country. I've even had a doctor treat me who was here on a teaching assignment. We also have a world renown eye doctor in Panauti village here in the KTM valley. I could go on, and do on my blog site. But I do agree with you. A person should not just show up and expect it to be like back home. It's far from that, but it's doable for many non-open-heart procedures.

Like Moniica was saying, interest rates on bank loans in this country are now as high as 24% to 25%.
Base Rate for 11 nepali commercial banks: currently over 11%

This compares with U.S. Fed base rate: 2.00%
                                    Canada:                   0.75%
                                    Australia:                 1.50%
                                    UK:                            0.75%

Not easy for those trying to rebuild.

Some years ago, I recall going to the Manmohan Memorial Hospital for a chest X-ray. After examining the X-ray, they  told me I had pneumonia. As I had a doubt in my mind about their diagnosis, I hopped over to the Himal Hospital, also in the city. The Himal doctor there assured me I was healthy and my lungs were perfectly okay - no pneumonia.
I agree it's not about cost - the Manmohan charges are reasonable - but one should be more concerned about the quality of the services, staff's professionalism and training  -  and like the lady says, about hygiene which is so often below par in Nepal.

You're right Jl about nepali people requiring lower borrowing rates to help them in any possible rebuilding. As things now stand, cost is too high. Hope rates come down. It's common knowledge that although each family here qualifies for $3,000 to help them in their rebuilding, out of a total of nearly 800,000 homes which were destroyed three years ago in that terrible event, only 119,000 families have a permanent home at this point in time. The rest are still living in temporary shelters.

For some reason, when it comes to making country to country comparisons, I've noticed contributors systematically and almost inevitably like to compare Nepal, and conditions here, to those prevailing in the USA ( ...and never Nepal versus China or versus Russia or some other world hegemony, just to vary!) But never mind, why should I object?)...Let's keep it that way.
So, yes, if we are to be once again comparing the cost of living here in Nepal with with that now prevailing in the US, there is not the slightest doubt that Nepal is surely a whale cheaper place to live in than america. Cannot be cause for any disagreement on that point. That's a broad generality but it is 100% correct.
But like Dupuis just wrote here, there are certain notable exceptions and, yes it's true, the cost of mortgage financing for nepalis who may want to rebuild is one of them. Worth pointing out that according to official sources, the cost of said mortgage financing in Nepal is a full 168% higher than what it is in the US.
The cost of buying a new car, like a Toyota Corolla (or other equivalent new car) in this country is 155% higher than in america the beautiful. As for putting gas in the tank, we've all read that the cost of one liter of petrol in Nepal has just gone up to 111 Rs., which makes the price of that liquid gold 35% higher than in the States, according to stats provided by Numbeo. 
I won't go into the huge and obvious income disparity between Nepal and the US, but according to World Bank, the average per capita income in the States last year was $59,000 p.a., whereas in Nepal, the latest country stats show $835 - a little over $2.00 a day.
I leave it to readers to draw their own conclusions about spending power or lack of it, living conditions, state of health and all the rest of it, and will refrain from making any more country to country comparisons as that might be unfair. I leave that to others.

Only wondering if after all this time refrigerators may still be floating down the Hudson River?  Found this to be an interesting childhood memory. Thank you for sharing.
As for cost of living, which is thread here, in contrast to pollution, I wholeheartedly agree with everything that's been said.

I had noticed for some time that taxi fares seemed to be on the up. This is now confirmed in an article just published by the HT where they say that as many as 1,288 taxi drivers were booked by Police in Kathmandu area in the last two months for cheating clients. It appears that taxi drivers tamper with their meters or use old meters and put the fare up that way. The result is that clients are overcharged, so it's  good thing the the police is fining these unscrupulous people, to try and curb these malpractices. What is a bit disconcerting however is the scale of the overcharging. Assuming the HT reporting to be correct, they say that in FY2017/2018, as many as 8,120 taxi drivers were booked for offenses out of a total of 10,000 operating in Kathmandu valley. That's another way of saying that this malpractice is being carried out - not just now and then, occasionally - but rather by 8 out of every 10 drivers, which is by 80% of them. 
Let us just hope that the police action will have for result to now bring the taxi fares down to a more acceptable level.

Hope none of you guys have a sweet tooth! Speaking of cost of living for daily commodities, the price of one kilo of sugar has just gone up from 65 nrs to 90 nrs, which is a whopping 40% increase within a period of only two weeks. I noticed that prices of veggies too, for basic staples like potatoes etc, have also gone  up substantially in the market place. As for petrol, they are now talking about increasing the litre price yet again.

They are saying pretty much all prices are going to be on the up this Dashain season, compared to last year's. Oft cited, for example, are the following notable increases:
Price of:
- 1 kilo of apples:              up 10 nrs from 115 nrs last Dashain to 125 nrs now
- 1kg of promegranates: up 45 nrs from 190 nrs last Dashain to 235 nrs now
-  bananas (per dozen):        up 10 nrs from 65 nrs last season to 75 nrs      "
-  goat meat (per one kg):    up 40 nrs from 510 nrs last festival to 550 nrs  "
-  mustard oil (per liter):       up 20 nrs from 130 nrs last year to 150 nrs       "
-  flour (per one kg):              up 5 nrs from 50 nrs last festival time to 55 nrs "
Cost of garments like pants, shirts, T-shirts, shoes, etc., are similarly all showing inflated prices in market. In addition, cost of both public and private transportation is on the uptrend due in good part to the rise in (per/liter) fuel prices in the country.

For the fortunate ones who are flush with cash in Nepal, no problem. However, for the less fortunate ones who have to borrow from the banks, interest rates being levied are now at highest levels in southeast Asia - and showing no sign of let up.

Prices of fruit have increased by up to 10% during this Festival Season. Wholesalers report that 90% of the fruit sold in nepali markets are imported from China or India. Consumption of same is in the order of 1200 tons per day.

If anyone is planning to buy a new car in Nepal, new regulations now require that one make a minimum 50% down-cash payment. If the prospective buyer needs to borrow the balance to make that auto purchase, it's well known that interest rates charged by banks and finance companies on auto loans are now at their peak.

Price of a kilo of bananas is set to go up by 30-40%. Reason is that nepali farmers are being put out of business by steadily growing massive imports of that yellow fruit from India. So to remedy the situation, the nepali growers are actually asking the government to increase the tax from present 5% to 30% per kg. To protect this non-competitive industry, consumers will pick up the tab.

Now looks as if people who lost their homes in that terrible 2015 earthquake are finally going to get some so-called "soft loans" (low cost relief) to help them re-build. Some 732,000 people are affected. Assistance can't come soon enough as it's now being acknowledged that the "first plan did not work properly". The National Reconstruction (NRA) chief is quoted as saying that the objective is "in achieving results in the next two years". By then, it will be 2020 - i.e. 5 years after the event.