Is Nepal cheaper than India?

They’re nearly level, with India slightly ahead on the headline number. CostLiving’s moderate benchmark puts India at $875 a month against Nepal at $900, a gap of $25 that’s within the noise. The composition differs more than the totals: Nepal’s rent is exceptionally low ($119 a month at the moderate tier) while imported goods cost more, since nearly everything manufactured crosses the Indian border or arrives via long supply chains. India offers far more variety in where and how to live, from $875-benchmark national pricing to premium metro districts that cost multiples of it, while Nepal’s range is narrower and Kathmandu actually undercuts the national benchmark at $825 a month. For long-stayers the deciding factors usually aren’t costs at all: India’s visa options for remote workers and retirees are their own puzzle, Nepal caps tourist stays at 150 days a year, and the two countries offer very different daily lives at nearly identical prices. Compare both on our Nepal and India cost of living pages.