Living in Nepal: Visas, cost, health, and expat tips (Part 2!)

Hi, I’m Hailey, a Canadian adventure travel blogger and digital nomad. I’m a jump-in-head-first type of gal, moving out for the first time across the globe to Nepal for 7 months. There, I kick-started my career as a travel blogger and have been adventuring ever since.

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My life in Nepal

I moved to Nepal for my final year of my undergraduate degree. We had the choice to spend 7 months writing an academic thesis or move abroad to do an internship at a non-profit. To me, the choice was pretty simple.

I spent a total of 7 months living in Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu. A chaotic and thrilling city in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains.

During my time in Nepal, I volunteered for a fair-trade women’s empowerment organization that was working to empower women’s handicraft and micro-farming careers. I got to travel all over the country to rural Nepali communities that no other tourists visit to meet the women who were affected by their efforts and document their stories in a book.

Living in Nepal, I fell head-over-heels in love with this stunningly diverse country and all of its beautiful chaos. In this guide, I will cover exactly what it is like to live in Nepal (something I desperately searched for before moving there on my own).

P.s. this is part 2 of my adventure in Nepal, also make sure to read part 1 for more tips!

Cost of living in Nepal

Living in Nepal with a Western salary is DIRT cheap.

For reference, my friend had a beautiful, modern 2-bedroom apartment in central Kathmandu and paid about $200 CAD per month.

As part of my volunteer program, I was given a monthly stipend of $500 CAD to cover all of my living expenses (except for rent, which was covered by my volunteer program). The months I spent the full $500, I took taxis everywhere (including to work) instead of the bus, I ate out at restaurants almost every night of the week, I paid for a nice gym membership, and shopped occasionally too.

Rent for a nice multi-bedroom apartment: $200 – 360 USD

Schooling in an international school if you have kids: $73 to $250 (more or less) per month

Food: Just a few dollars per meal, unless you eat out at more touristy restaurants, where meals can get up to $10 per meal. Mere cents if you are grocery shopping and eating local meals.

Wifi and connectivity in Nepal

I was surprised that wifi and connectivity were not a problem for me in Nepal. Wifi is pretty readily available in cafes, restaurants, homes, and workplaces. There are occasional drops, but that’s where data plans come in.

Data is cheap in Nepal and works really well. I had a 15 GB plan monthly on my phone and was able to video call my family every other day without issues. In cases where wifi was spotty, the data was very capable and affordable as an alternative.

Don't forget to book an activity in Nepal

Food in Nepal

The main dish people eat in Nepal is called dal bhat. It is a rice and lentil curry, with various veggie or meat-based curries to go along with it, served all together on a plate. The best way to eat it is to mix it all together with your hands.

Many Nepalis eat dal bhat twice daily for breakfast and dinner. They typically eat breakfast about an hour or two after waking, lunch around 2 – 3, and then dinner between 7:30 – 9. Newari folks eat beaten rice, which, if I’m honest, is rough. It’s a hard, crunchy, and difficult-to-digest rice that has been pounded into flattened flakes. But hey, that’s my personal preference, you might like it!

Other amazing Nepali foods are momos (veggie, buff or chicken), and curries served with a corn-based donut-type of bread. If you are a vegetarian, you’ll have no problem. It is a well-known dietary restriction and people respect it.

Health care in Nepal

I wish I could say that health care in Nepal is great, however, I did have some iffy experiences there.

I’d say basic health care at the tourist hospitals is great. You can get really cheap vaccines (I ended up getting a lot of mine there instead of paying hundreds back home for them) for things like Japanese Encephalitis and rabies. A friend of mine had to be treated with an IV overnight and had a good experience.

I got a really random blood infection from leech bites I obtained from a canyoning trip. I was dumb about it and didn’t seek medical care until the infection showed up as a line running from my ankles up to my mid-thigh. The doctors misdiagnosed the seriousness of my condition, so after the medication didn’t work properly, I went back and was diagnosed correctly and had to stay bedridden.

Luckily, I had bought travel insurance and paid extra for an international SOS plan that monitored my care. They ended up flying me in a private air ambulance with a full RN team to a hospital in Bangkok because they told me that Nepali hospitals wouldn’t be equipped to take care of me if I went into septic shock. I ended up spending a total of a week in a hospital in Nepal before they could send me to Bangkok, where I spent another week. Thank god I had travel insurance and didn’t have to pay a single dime out of pocket.

Now, this is obviously a very extreme case. And only one medical team’s opinion on the healthcare capabilities in Nepal. But I feel like it is a relevant consideration. I don’t think it is a deterrent from moving at all. Instead, I think it’s important for you to purchase necessary coverage before moving.

Pollution levels in Nepal

Kathmandu has some of the highest pollution levels in the world. Before going, I read that breathing in the pollution levels in Kathmandu are equivalent to smoking about 10 cigarettes per day. Most places outside of the Kathmandu valley are considered to have safe pollution levels.

You can take steps to avoid some of the effects. I bought a carbon-filtered mask and wore it almost every time I was outside. I wasn’t overly strict about it, but anytime I was walking somewhere or in traffic, I wore the mask.

Wearing masks is actually very common amongst other expats and locals. I’d say almost 50% of people you see outside have some kind of mask or scarf covering their face.

Public transport in Nepal

Public transportation in Nepal is chaotic, confusing, and fun. I had some locals show me the buses to take on my route to work because there are no real schedules posted. Sometimes the buses don’t even come to a full stop, and you have to kind of run up beside it and jump on.

There are attendants who yell out the bus route as they drive by the stops. The buses are also packed.
One time, I had to basically crowd surf to get off at my stop (which is honestly an epic story). Taking local transport is still really doable if you are up for the adventure.

If you’d prefer to avoid it, taxis are super affordable and easy to hail. Make sure to negotiate with the taxi drivers, because they will always highly inflate (like double or even triple) the price when they see a foreigner. You’ll learn the normal price for certain routes quickly. If you can learn enough Nepali to negotiate in their language, it will also help.

Language barrier

Locals in Nepal speak Nepali. In Kathmandu, many people speak English. Especially young people and anyone working in hospitality, like at restaurants, tourist shops, or hotels. There is more than enough English to get by in Kathmandu, and Google Translate helps too.

Outside of Kathmandu, English is harder to find. I never struggled too hard with it though, because people are so friendly and helpful in trying to understand. We got by with translation apps and travelling with local friends.

Visa & permits Nepal

Tourist Visa: For most Western countries, tourist visas are issued upon arrival at the airport and last up to 90 days. However, you can apply one more time to extend it to stay up to a total of 150 days (almost 5 months).

Here is the official website to see if your country applies for this.

Local Work Visa: The work visa process, like many countries, is a bit complicated but doable. This typically applies to individuals who are doing a local volunteer work exchange or who got a job at local companies. Many of the expats I met were working for international organizations with locations in Nepal, like the UN, or charitable organizations like UNICEF.

We entered the country first on a 90 day tourist visa. In that timeframe, our company applied for all the necessary work permits and visas. The Nepali government states that this is the process:

“Recommendation letter from the concerned Government line agency
Work Permit from Department of Labor
Work Agreement from Ministry of Home Affairs
Appointment/contract letter
Tax clearance of hiring organisation/ institution/agency
Tax clearance of applicant (for renewal) if taxes has been paid individually
General Agreement with Social Welfare Council (NGOs/INGOs)
Passport and Visa Photocopy
Online form (Working) Link to Online Visa Application”

Digital Nomads: As of May 2025, there is no visa available for digital nomads. However, the Nepali government just announced (as I’m writing this) that they are going to be rolling out a new digital nomad visa.

It will be a one-time five-year multiple-entry digital nomad visa. You have to prove you are making $1,500 USD per month OR have a bank balance exceeding $20,000. You also have to obtain travel insurance worth at least $100,000 in coverage.

What to wear in Nepal

You can definitely wear your regular clothes in Kathmandu, although the more legs and shoulders you show, the more attention you’ll get. I’d say dress how you’d normally dress, but with a little more modesty in mind. I still wore tank tops when it was really hot, but brought a scarf to cover up when I felt uncomfortable.

When visiting rural communities, try to cover up a little more to be respectful and avoid weird looks. At temples, you’ll need to cover up completely.

Insider tips for living in Nepal

1. Get a local SIM card ASAP

NCell and NTC are the two major providers. Bring your passport and a passport-sized photo (you can easily find shops in Kathmandu offering these) to get set up. Having data is a lifesaver, and at this time, I think the local SIM cards work better than e-SIMs if you’re staying longer term.

2. Always negotiate taxi fares

Meters are never used in Kathmandu. Ask the price before getting in, and don’t be afraid to walk away if the price is unreasonable. You’ll quickly learn what a fair rate is.

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3. Get used to power cuts

Electricity outages (called “load shedding”) aren’t as common as they once were, but they can still happen. Keep a charged power bank with you and download offline maps and entertainment.

4. Join expat groups on Facebook or WhatsApp

These were a huge part of my life when living in Nepal. People share everything from apartment listings to weekend trip ideas, and you’ll meet others in the same boat.

What it’s really like living in Nepal as a foreigner: My 7-month experience (Part 1)

5. Be patient with “Nepali time”

Things don’t always run on schedule here. From meetings, transport, to government processes. It’s part of the charm and the frustration. Flexibility is key.

6. Learn a few basic Nepali phrases

Even just saying namaste, dhanyabad (thank you) goes a long way in making connections. Learn enough to negotiate with taxi drivers. You basically just need to know numbers.

7. Nepali head shakes have different meanings from Western places

I was so confused by how Nepalis shake or nod their heads when I first arrived. For example, a taxi driver would relent to my negotiated price by bending their head left to right (like with their ears getting closer to their shoulders, not twisting their neck). To me, who is used to up and down for yes or twisting head left to right for no, I didn’t pick up that they meant yes. I also learned not to assume locals knew what I meant with my usual head nods.

8. Load up on cash

Nepal is still very much a cash-based economy. There are a decent number of restaurants and hotels in tourist areas that now accept credit cards, but most shops still do cash. ATMs are widely available in Kathmandu, but going outside to rural areas, don’t expect to find many.

9. Respect local customs

Cover your shoulders and knees when visiting temples, always walk clockwise around stupas, and don’t step over offerings on the ground. When in doubt, follow what locals are doing.

10. Your stomach will adjust - and DON’T drink the water

Most people get hit with food poisoning at least once. Stick to cooked foods at first, drink bottled or filtered water ALWAYS, and carry rehydration salts in your bag just in case. You can brush your teeth and wash dishes with the local water, but make sure not to swallow the water and dry all of your dishes thoroughly before using.

I visited a travel clinic before going and took an oral stomach bug vaccine. I swear by this, I was the only one who didn’t get sick on my trip to India with it, and never got sick in Nepal.

Once I have my own house, I also want this map!

11. Try not to deny food served to you by a local - unless you’re vegetarian.

It’s considered rude. I struggled with this, as a small woman, but I forced that food down. If you are a vegetarian or slightly nervous of meat in rural communities (they eat every part of the animal), just tell people you are a vegetarian. This is popular in Nepal and widely understood.

Conclusion: Should you move to Nepal?

Simply put, YES YES YES.

Living in Nepal is not your typical expat experience. It’s not polished. It’s not predictable. And it’s definitely not perfect.

But that’s exactly why it’s so special.

If you’re someone who needs pristine sidewalks, ultra-reliable infrastructure, or a Starbucks on every corner, this might not be your place. But if you’re craving adventure, cultural immersion, and the kind of personal growth that only comes from being deeply outside your comfort zone, Nepal might just be the best decision you ever make.

So, should you move to Nepal?

Only if you’re ready to be changed by it.

P.s. this is part 2 of my Nepal adventure. If you want to know more and get more tips, make sure to also read part 1!!