How much does a day in Kathmandu cost?
A day in Kathmandu costs from about US$25 to $250 or more per person, depending on your hotel and how you get around. No official survey gives a current Kathmandu figure, so these ranges come from operator guides and a price database. Most are quoted in US dollars. We convert at about NPR 151 per US$1, close to the Nepal Rastra Bank rate reported for 4 November 2026.
| Item | Low | Mid | High | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily total, Nepal | US$25 to $40 | US$60 to $100 | US$150 to $250 | Magical Nepal, updated 5 Oct 2026 |
| Daily total, Nepal | US$15 to $30 | US$50 to $90 | US$150 to $200 or more | Pride Nepal Travel, undated 2026 page |
| Room per night | US$6 to $11 | US$15 to $45 | US$75 to $225 or more | Pride Nepal Travel, undated 2026 page |
| One meal | US$1 to $3 | US$4 to $9 | US$15 or more | Pride Nepal Travel, undated 2026 page |
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | NPR 150 to 500 | Numbeo, 4 Nov 2026 | ||
| Three-course meal for two | NPR 1,500 to 5,500 | Numbeo, 4 Nov 2026 | ||
| Bottled water, 1.5 litres | About NPR 35 | Numbeo, 4 Nov 2026 | ||
| Local draft beer, 0.5 litres | NPR 280 to 800 | Numbeo, 4 Nov 2026 | ||
| SIM with data | NPR 500 to 1,000 | Pride Nepal Travel, undated 2026 page |
Pride Nepal Travel also gives a second, higher sample breakdown on the same page: US$25 to $35, $60 to $90 and $180 to $250. Magical Nepal’s own line-item table totals US$17 to $37 for a backpacker. So the low end is softer than it looks.
One official figure exists, but it’s old. The Himalayan Times reported in February 2023 that a tourist spent an average of US$48 a day in 2021 and 2022, and that a Nepal Tourism Board director expected US$70 to $75 for 2023.
What other costs should you add?
Your visa, entry fees and transport sit on top of food and a bed. Some of the daily ranges above may already include part of this, so adding everything can overcount a little.
| Cost | Amount | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa on arrival | US$30 for 15 days, $50 for 30 days, $125 for 90 days | Department of Immigration, read 5 Nov 2026 |
| Transit visa, up to 24 hours | US$5 on the department’s visa page, but other official pages conflict | Department of Immigration and Nepal Tourism Board, read 5 Nov 2026 |
| All seven UNESCO sites, foreign rate | NPR 5,700 | Nepal Tourism Board, November 2026 |
| Prepaid taxi, airport to Thamel | About NPR 700 to 1,200 | Several guides, November 2025 to May 2026 |
| Car with driver, full day | NPR 5,000 to 10,000 | Vehicle Hiring Nepal, 9 Sep 2026 |
| Licensed guide, full day, 1 or 2 people, English | NPR 3,080 | Tourist Guide Association of Nepal, from 17 Jul 2023 |
The visa rules and exclusions are on our layover and transit visa page. Every site fee is on the Kathmandu entry fees page, and fares are broken down in the Kathmandu taxi fare guide.
What does a three-day trip add up to?
A mid-range three-day trip comes to about US$250 to $370 per person, before flights and guided days. Here is the sum, using Magical Nepal’s mid-range figure:
- Three days at US$60 to $100: US$180 to $300
- A 15-day tourist visa: US$30
- All seven sites at NPR 5,700: about US$38
Take off the US$30 if you’re Indian, Chinese or a SAARC citizen on a first visit in the visa year. Those travellers don’t pay this fee, according to the Department of Immigration and the Nepal Tourism Board.
This is our own arithmetic. It’s a planning number, not a quote. A guide and car would add to it, and sharing them lowers the cost per person. The sums are on the tour guide fee page.
How much do ATMs charge foreign cards?
ATMs in Nepal charge foreign cards about NPR 660 to 900 per withdrawal at the banks we could find figures for, and your home bank may add more. The Everest Holiday, a travel company, read these from bank tariffs. We didn’t open the bank schedules ourselves.
| Bank | Fee per withdrawal | Effective date given |
|---|---|---|
| NMB Bank | NPR 660 | 17 September 2026 |
| Everest Bank | NPR 750 | Not stated |
| NIC Asia Bank | NPR 750 Visa, NPR 900 Mastercard, NPR 750 UnionPay | September 2026 |
| Siddhartha Bank | NPR 850, but the schedule doesn’t say it applies to foreign cards | Not stated |
Sources disagree on the fee. The Longest Way Home, updated 17 September 2026, gives NPR 500 to 800. The Everest Holiday says none of the four schedules it checked lists NPR 500.
Withdrawal limits are softer still. The Longest Way Home reports NPR 10,000 to 35,000 per withdrawal, with NPR 25,000 the most common cap. The Everest Holiday says no bank publishes a limit for foreign cards, so expect it to vary by machine.
If the ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, choose rupees instead. The Longest Way Home puts that conversion markup at about 3 to 5%.
Where should you exchange money?
Licensed money changers in Thamel usually beat the airport and hotels, according to The Longest Way Home. That’s one guide’s advice, and we found no official comparison of rates. Check two things before you hand over cash: the posted rate and any commission.
- Airport: convenient on arrival, but The Longest Way Home says rates are poorer. Change only what you need for the first day.
- Licensed changers: rates are often posted outside the shop, and vary little between shops. Clean, undamaged notes get better rates.
- Reference rate: Nepal Rastra Bank publishes daily rates. On 4 November 2026 it listed the US dollar at NPR 151.29 to buy and 151.89 to sell, as reported by ICT Frame. A shop’s rate will differ.
Can you pay by card in Kathmandu?
Cards work in many tourist hotels, restaurants and shops, but carry cash for everything else. The Longest Way Home reports a surcharge of about 3 to 5% on card payments. Plan on rupees for small shops, taxis and entry fees, because we couldn’t confirm card payment at site ticket counters.
There are also two rules worth knowing. The UK government says amounts above US$5,000 in banknotes must be declared on arrival, and that you should keep the certified declaration customs gives you. It also says to convert all your Nepali currency before you leave.
For your next step, work out how many days to spend in Kathmandu, then multiply by the daily range that fits you.
