How Nepal compares across key indices
Cost of Living
27 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
81/100
Healthcare
51/100
Quality of Life
115/200
How far your money goes in Nepal
Cost of Living
27
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
20
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
27
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
28
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in Nepal - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
81/100
Crime Index
25/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
Nepal has 46 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $525 in Īṭahari̇̄ to $689 in Kathmandu. Gulariyā leads on safety, scoring 85/100. Chautārā ranks highest for quality of life at 124/200.
Īṭahari̇̄
$525/mo
Gulariyā
85/100
Chautārā
124/200
Kathmandu
63/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu | $689 | 76/100 | 121/200 | 63/100 | 95 |
| Pokhara | $595 | 80/100 | 121/200 | 55/100 | 93 |
| Bharatpur | $581 | 81/100 | 122/200 | 54/100 | 91 |
| Pātan | $575 | 81/100 | 122/200 | 53/100 | 90 |
| Birgañj | $572 | 82/100 | 122/200 | 53/100 | 90 |
| Biratnagar | $570 | 82/100 | 122/200 | 52/100 | 90 |
| Dhangaḍhi̇̄ | $564 | 82/100 | 122/200 | 52/100 | 89 |
| Hetauda | $563 | 82/100 | 122/200 | 52/100 | 89 |
| Janakpur | $563 | 82/100 | 122/200 | 52/100 | 89 |
| Butwāl | $563 | 82/100 | 122/200 | 52/100 | 89 |
| Dharān | $560 | 83/100 | 123/200 | 51/100 | 88 |
| Nepalgunj | $558 | 83/100 | 123/200 | 51/100 | 88 |
| Birendranagar | $557 | 83/100 | 123/200 | 51/100 | 88 |
| Madhyapur Thimi | $550 | 83/100 | 123/200 | 50/100 | 87 |
| Lahān | $546 | 84/100 | 123/200 | 50/100 | 86 |
| Bhimdatta | $541 | 84/100 | 123/200 | 49/100 | 86 |
| Triyuga | $535 | 84/100 | 123/200 | 48/100 | 85 |
| Inaruwa | $535 | 84/100 | 123/200 | 48/100 | 85 |
| Rājbirāj | $535 | 84/100 | 123/200 | 48/100 | 85 |
| Banepā | $533 | 85/100 | 123/200 | 48/100 | 85 |
| Siddharthanagar | $532 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 48/100 | 84 |
| Gulariyā | $527 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 48/100 | 84 |
| Chautārā | $526 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 84 |
| Īṭahari̇̄ | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Panauti | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Ṭikāpur | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Ki̇̄rtipur | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Chari̇̄koṭ | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Tulsi̇̄pur | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Dipayal | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Panauti̇̄ | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Gaur | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Siraha | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Tānsen | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Jaleshwar | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Bāgluṅ | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Khā̃dbāri̇̄ | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Dhankutā | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Wāliṅ | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
| Dailekh | $525 | 85/100 | 124/200 | 47/100 | 83 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Nepal. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
12
Verified records
1
Cities covered
5
Credential signals
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
KATHMANDU
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for Nepal
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Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Nepal
Pollution Index
91/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
45.7ug/m3
Unhealthy for sensitive
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Nepal, answered with data
Nepal has a cost of living index of 27 relative to New York City (100). It is significantly cheaper than the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $546 in Lahān and reach $689 in Kathmandu.
Lahān is the most affordable city in Nepal in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $546 for a single person including rent. Madhyapur Thimi is the next most affordable at $550/mo.
Nepal has a safety index of 81/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Lahān scores highest on safety at 84/100.
Lahān ranks highest for quality of life in Nepal, scoring 123/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $546/mo for a single person.
Nepal scores 51/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it adequate by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. Nepal's cost of living is roughly 73% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 80% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
Nepal has a pollution index of 91/100 (lower = cleaner). Pollution can be a concern in urban areas. Research specific cities before committing, as rural and coastal areas typically fare better.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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