Book NOW for $1 £1 €1 • Flexible Payments • No Change Fees • Private Departures Available
Cost of travel in Nepal
Nepal is an incredible country to travel with so much diversity and different experiences you can stumble upon here. From the cultural gems in the Kathmandu area and wildlife spotting in the humid jungle in Chitwan National Park to getting out your thermals in the Himalayan foothills, there are many activities to get excited about. The best part is that this stunning country can be easily travelled on a budget, you just need to be mindful that some tourist attractions or activities might cost you more than others. A good example for this is the Everest Mountain flight which will cost you around 200 USD, whereas you can go paragliding with breathtaking views over the Annapurna Foothills for around 60USD. Although prices are subject to change and fluctuations, the point is that with a bit of planning you can appreciate Nepal’s raw beauty without breaking the bank. !
The official currency of Nepal is Nepali Rupee (NRs) and the exchange rate US$ at the time of writing is US$1 = 121Rs.
NRs
Nepali Rupee
Budgeting in Nepal
So how much should you budget for your trip to Nepal? We recommend US$50 a day per person for travellers who are happy to keep things on a budget, US$50-US$150 for travellers who’d like a bit more comfort and luxury and US$150+ for high end accommodation, excursions and so on.
These daily costs include accommodation. If you join one of our group tours accommodation is already included in your tour price.
Food & Drink
If you don’t need the cafe or restaurant experience and are happy with local, yet delicious food, you can get by on US$5 per meal. A meal in a mid-range cafe or restaurant in the capital of Nepal or at hotels in more remote places will cost you around US$7-20. Dinner at a fancier restaurant will start from $US20.
Transport
Taxis can quickly amount to a big expense if it’s the sole form of transportation you rely upon. Prices are different for every region but in Kathmandu the base rate is usually 250 NRs (~US$2.10) plus an additional 100NRs (~US$0.85) for every km. That means a 3km ride will cost you 550NRs (~ $USD4.60). Bear in mind that it’s common practice for taxis to round up the fare.
Adminssion Fees
All admission fees for included excursions on our tours are covered by the tour price. Prices for optional excursions can be found in tour notes of your chosen itinerary (please bear in mind that prices for optional excursions are subject to change are likely to increase if you book further in advance).
Other Costs
Other costs include any other activities not covered by your chosen tour, donations to temples, sacred sites, souvenirs, and incidental items such as medicine or phone SIM cards.
Tipping etiquette and costs
It can be difficult to know when it’s appropriate to tip in Nepal as the tipping culture varies from what you might find in the Americas. While tipping in restaurants and cafes isn’t traditionally common practice, due to the growing tourism in Nepal you will find that staff are used to tips and will accept them with great gratitude. This is slightly different for guides and porters who are used to gratuities ranging from 10%-15%, as well as taxis usually round up their fares.
Is haggingling acceptable in Nepal?
Bargaining is common practice in Nepal and vendors selling souvenirs on marketplaces or street-stalls almost expect you to get down to business. This especially applies to areas with a lot of tourism and stalls selling souvenirs. You’ll also find that sellers might start off haggling by lowering the price of a particular item that you seem to have taken a special interest in. You’ll sometimes also be able to negotiate the price of your hotel room. Haggling should be a pleasant experience for you and the seller so don’t try to push the seller too hard and bear in mind that the 50 cents difference in price means a lot more to the seller than it does to you. Outside of this you will find that most items and services will have a fixed price.
Go to Top
