The affordable Himalaya · Nepal
Nepal on a budget
Newar cities, Sherpa trails, the walled north. Here is what it costs by bus, shared jeep and homestay, and when it costs least.
A Saver day in Nepal costs about ₹2,000–3,500 per person: hostel or simple guesthouse, dal bhat and momos, tourist buses and shared jeeps; teahouse treks ₹3,000–4,500 a day with guide share. Indicative 2026, once you are in the hive. Our Saver trips here start from ₹12,500 per person, twin sharing.
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsA day in Nepal
Three ways to spend the day
Per person, per day, indicative 2026. Saver is the bus-and-homestay way; the others are here so you can see the gap.
Per person, per day₹2,000–3,500
Hostel or simple guesthouse, dal bhat and momos, tourist buses and shared jeeps; teahouse treks ₹3,000–4,500 a day with guide share
Saver trips from ₹12,500Per person, per day₹7,000–12,000
3–4 star or heritage hotel, private car with driver, domestic flights where useful, guide for sightseeing
Per person, per day₹25,000–45,000
Dwarika's, Tiger Mountain or Mountain Lodges of Nepal, private guide and car, flights, most meals
Saver trips
Nepal by bus and homestay
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Kathmandu valley heritage on a saver budget
Local buses, microbuses and shared taxis
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Pokhara, Poon Hill and Ghandruk on a budget
Tourist bus and shared jeep; three days on foot
When it costs least
Nepal prices, month by month
The top bar shows how good the weather is. Low-price months with workable weather are the budget sweet spot.
Highlighted months: low prices and weather that still works. Peak weeks, school holidays and festival dates cost more.
Real prices
What things cost in Nepal
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Spend less
Ways to save in Nepal
- Carry Indian ₹100 notes or change money into NPR at the border; the peg is fixed at 1 INR = 1.6 NPR, so anyone offering much less is taking a cut.
- Show your Indian passport or voter ID at heritage sites: SAARC visitors pay NPR 500 at Bhaktapur against NPR 1,800 for other foreigners, and similar discounts apply at Patan and Kathmandu Durbar Squares.
- Take a tourist bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara for NPR 800–1,200 instead of a private car at ₹9,000–12,000; it takes the same 7–8 hours on the same road.
- On treks, eat dal bhat: one order includes refills, and it costs less than pasta or pizza carried up by porter.
- Carry a filter bottle or purification tablets and refill at lodges; bottled water rises from NPR 30 in Kathmandu to NPR 300–400 near Everest Base Camp.
- Buy a Nepal Telecom or Ncell SIM with your passport on arrival; Indian roaming in Nepal is expensive and many Indian prepaid plans do not cover it.
Where you sleep
Budget stays in Nepal
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Budget
Zostel Kathmandu
The Indian hostel chain's Kathmandu property, down a quiet alley off Paknajol Marg a few minutes' walk from Thamel…
Photo: Bijaya2043 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Budget
Ghandruk Gurung homestays
Stay in a Gurung family house in Ghandruk rather than a lodge. Rooms are simple and often share a bathroom, but yo…
Photo: Super Trekkers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Budget
Namche Bazaar teahouse lodges
Namche's family-run teahouse lodges are the standard bed on the Everest trail: twin rooms, a stove-heated dining r…
Questions
Nepal on a budget, answered
How much does a budget trip to Nepal cost?
A Saver day in Nepal costs about ₹2,000–3,500 per person (Hostel or simple guesthouse, dal bhat and momos, tourist buses and shared jeeps; teahouse treks ₹3,000–4,500 a day with guide share). Our Saver trips here start from ₹12,500 per person, twin sharing, indicative 2026, from the start point.
What is the cheapest month for Nepal?
Rooms and transport are cheapest in January, February, when the weather still works for most of the hive. Peak weeks, school holidays and festival dates cost more. Check current status before you travel.
How do we save money in Nepal?
Carry Indian ₹100 notes or change money into NPR at the border; the peg is fixed at 1 INR = 1.6 NPR, so anyone offering much less is taking a cut. Show your Indian passport or voter ID at heritage sites: SAARC visitors pay NPR 500 at Bhaktapur against NPR 1,800 for other foreigners, and similar discounts apply at Patan and Kathmandu Durbar Squares. Take a tourist bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara for NPR 800–1,200 instead of a private car at ₹9,000–12,000; it takes the same 7–8 hours on the same road.