Temple smoke, prayer flags, Himalaya on the horizon.
Ranks #1 of 68 cities we track — one of the lowest daily costs anywhere in the index.
At $94/day mid-range, Kathmandu runs 66% under the $279/day global median across 68 cities.
Currently the most affordable city we track in South Asia, at $94/day mid-range across 4 indexed destinations.
Kathmandu lands in the cheaper third of the global index — a $94/day mid-range figure that undercuts the $279/day median by 66%. Inside South Asia it's ranked #1 of 4 on daily cost, 18% below the regional average of $115/day. The line item that moves the total most is activities at $13/day (19% below the regional norm) — worth accounting for before you compare against another city on headline numbers alone. Season effect is roughly 48% between low and peak, in line with the global average (~47%), which is why timing the trip to oct–nov shows up on nearly every itinerary that hits the numbers on this page.
On a shoulder-season day in Kathmandu, a budget traveller spends about $42, a mid-range traveller about $94, and a luxury traveller about $264 — per person, covering accommodation, food, local transport, activities, and miscellaneous costs. At $94/day mid-range, Kathmandu is noticeably cheaper than the global median of $279/day.
Time your visit for Oct–Nov and the daily figure stays near the baseline; shift into peak and you'll see roughly a 48% swing between low and peak season for the same mid-range trip ($80 → $118 per day).
Compared with nearby South Asia destinations, Colombo trends pricier ($128/day).
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| accommodation | $22 | $48 | $143 |
| food | $8 | $20 | $53 |
| transport | $3 | $6 | $15 |
| activities | $6 | $13 | $35 |
| Misc & fees | $3 | $7 | $18 |
| Total per day | $42 | $94 | $264 |
Per person · USD · shoulder-season baseline
| Season | Budget / day | Mid / day | Luxury / day |
|---|---|---|---|
| low | $36 | $80 | $224 |
| shoulder | $42 | $94 | $264 |
| peak | $53 | $118 | $330 |
Best-value window: Oct–Nov
| Length | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $126 | $282 | $792 |
| 7 days | $294 | $658 | $1,848 |
| 14 days | $588 | $1,316 | $3,696 |
On-the-ground totals · shoulder season · excludes flights and visas