Which place is cheaper, Amsterdam or Kathmandu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kathmandu or Amsterdam?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Kathmandu and Amsterdam can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Kathmandu or Amsterdam?
Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the capital and largest city in the country of Nepal. Its metropolitan area forms one large urban area that includes the area of Patan to the south. As of 2011 there were 2.5 million residents in the Kathmandu metropolis and over 3 million in the entire metropolitan area. Kathmandu is likely to be your entry point into Nepal and is a great place to pick up supplies and arrange the details for any treks you hope to do. Many travelers rush through Kathmandu, turned off by the pollution and crowds, but to skip Kathmandu is to miss a major cultural, financial, and influential part of what defines the country of Nepal. The city itself is quite fun to explore if you allow it enough time and an open mind.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital, and most popular tourist destination in the Netherlands. There are over one million residents in the metro area. Amsterdam is most famous for its canals that criss cross across the city, but it also has a rich history, interesting culture, and liberal vibe that appeal to all types of travelers. The architecture, bridges, and cycling culture help this metropolitan area maintain its small town vibe, despite being the largest city in the country as well as the financial center.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours from Amsterdam, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Amsterdam.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKathmandu $57Amsterdam $189
The average daily cost (per person) in Kathmandu is $57, while the average daily cost in Amsterdam is $189. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Kathmandu and Amsterdam in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKathmandu $40Amsterdam $110
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKathmandu $80Amsterdam $220
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Amsterdam
Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Amsterdam? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Kathmandu Hotel Prices and Amsterdam Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kathmandu $6.95Amsterdam $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kathmandu
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Kathmandu:
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Taxi Ride$1.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Deluxe Toyota Coaster Mini Bus Transfer From Kathmandu to Pokhara or V. V. : $22
- From Kathmandu To Ramechhap Airport - Private Transfer: $171
- From Bungee Jump over Bhotekosi River & Transfer: $160
- From One-Way Private Transfer to Pokhara: $148
- From Private car transfer to Pokhara: $117
- Kathmandu Airport Arrival transfer: $20
- Kathmandu Airport Private Transfers: $14
- Kathmandu Airport Transfer: $30
- Kathmandu Airport Transfer: $16
- Kathmandu Ramechhap Airport Transfer: $31
- Kathmandu airport transfer service: $19
- Kathmandu to Dharapani Transfer - Way to Annapurna Circuit: $55
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Amsterdam:
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Ride on Tram$3.47
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Renting a Bike$16
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One Hour Canal Cruise$11
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Single Day Transit Pass$2.82
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Transit Pass to Amsterdam Airport$3.68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amsterdam
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Amsterdam:
- Train transfer From/To Zaandijk Zaanse Schans: $5.01
- Train Transfer Schiphol Airport from/to Amsterdam: $6.29
- Airport Express Bus Transfer to/from City Center: $6.93
- 1-Way Train Transfer to/from Haarlem: $7.35
- Train Transfer From/To Zandvoort in Amsterdam: $7.99
- Train Transfer Amsterdam from/to Utrecht: $12
- Train Transfer Amsterdam from/to Leiden: $13
- Travel Ticket for 1-3 Days With Airport Transfer: $19
- Train Transfer Amsterdam from/to Rotterdam: $21
- Train Transfer Schiphol Airport from/to Eindhoven: $26
- Eindhoven: Train Transfer Eindhoven from/to Amsterdam: $26
- From Bus Transfer to Flower Fields Keukenhof: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Amsterdam?
Prices for flights to both Amsterdam and Kathmandu change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayKathmandu $8.31Amsterdam $47
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Dessert$1.35
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Dinner for Two$3.01
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Momo Making & Cooking class in Thamel with Pickup: $8.56
- Half Day cooking class in Kathmandu by Local Chefs & Pickup: $9.34
- Best Half-Day Nepali Cooking Class & Hotel Pickup: $9.50
- Best Half day cooking class in Thamel Kathmandu with Pickup: $10
- Dinner with Cultural Show Kathmandu : $12
- Cultural Dinner Show with Traditional Dance: $17
- Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel, Kathmandu with Pickup: $19
- Nepali and Newari Cooking Class with Optional …: $22
- Food Tour In Kathmandu With Walking Local Market: $23
- Half Day Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Visit: $23
- Cooking Class in Thamel Kathmandu by Local Chef with pickup: $25
- Cooking Class with Special Day Celebration in Thamel: $27
Typical Food Prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Amsterdam:
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Afternoon Tea$6.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Amsterdam
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Amsterdam.
- 2 Hours Food Tour in Amsterdam (Tip Based): $5.44
- Amsterdam Self-Guided Food Tour in De Pijp Neighbourhood : $8.16
- Self-Guided Food Tour in De Jordaan Neighbourhood: $13
- Self-Guided Food Tour in De Pijp Neighbourhood: $13
- Self-Guided Food Tour of Amsterdam's De Jordaan District: $14
- Hard Rock Cafe Amsterdam with Set Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Exclusive Burger Dinner Cruise through Amsterdam: $31
- Pizza Cruise with Drinks: $40
- Amsterdam Nightlife Ticket with A GOLD MENU Hard Rock Dinner: $43
- Amsterdam Evening Canal Cruise With Pizza and Drinks: $43
- Food Tour Jordaan District: $51
- Food Tour Amsterdam's Jordaan District Self-Guided: $52
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kathmandu $8.04Amsterdam $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Monkey Temple for Two$1.50
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Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two$3.76
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Swayambhunath Stupa$1.50
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- Discover Kathmandu on a day cycling tour! (Minimum 4 people): $0.19
- Kathmandu Heritage Sightseeing Tour: $1.01
- Old A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.40
- Nepal: Kathmandu City Flavors Guided Walking Tour: $7.79
- City Highlights Bus Tour: $9.54
- Privet Day Tours in Kathmandu Nepal : $10
- Sarngkot Sunrise Himalayas Tour in Pokhara: $10
- Skywalk Adventure in Nepal: $11
- Discovering Full-Day City Highlights Bus Tour: $12
- Nepali Nightlife Experience in Kathmandu's Vibrant Thamel: $12
- Kathmandu to Pokhara Tourist Bus- MNS: $12
- Bandipur Tourist Bus Ticket: $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Amsterdam
Here are a few typical costs in Amsterdam for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Two tickets to the Houseboat Museum$6.50
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Entry for two to the Anne Frank House$18
Tours and Activities in Amsterdam
Here are a few actual costs in Amsterdam for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Golden Age Canals Walking Tour: $1.07
- Red Light District Haunted History Night Tour: $1.69
- Two-hour walking tour of Amsterdam: $2.60
- Rude Bastards Tour of Amsterdam: $3.20
- Best of Amsterdam City Tour: $3.20
- City Exploration Game and Walking Tour: $3.20
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.20
- The Anne Frank Tour (Tip Based) Amsterdam : $3.25
- Dark History of the City Walking Tour: $3.41
- Free walking tour of haunted Amsterdam: $4.26
- Amsterdam West Specialty Coffee Spots: A Self-Guided Cycling Tour: $5.41
- Private Walking Tour through the Streets of Amsterdam: $5.44
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKathmandu $5.77Amsterdam $26
Sample the Local Flavors in Amsterdam
Also in Amsterdam, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bar Crawl with Shots and Beer Maid Guide: $25
- Central Pub Crawl and Nightlife Experience: $27
- Red Light District Pub Crawl: $27
- Central Pub Crawl and Nightlife Experience: $27
- Original Pub Crawl Party with VIP Entrance: $29
- Chateau Urban Wine Tasting and optional bites: $32
- Self-guided Red Light District Pub Crawl Mystery: $37
- Leidseplein and Red Light Pub Crawl: 2 Night Pass: $37
- Kings Night Ultimate Party Pub Crawl: $37
- Red Light District and Local Pub Tour: $39
- Dutch Wine Tasting || Amsterdam City Centre: $48
- Red-Light District Pub Crawl and Booze Boat Tour: $52
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kathmandu and Amsterdam, we can see that Amsterdam is more expensive. And not only is Kathmandu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kathmandu is in Asia and Amsterdam is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Kathmandu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kathmandu and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Amsterdam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Amsterdam than you might in Kathmandu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kathmandu Expensive? and Is Amsterdam Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kathmandu or Amsterdam?
Kathmandu has a larger population, and is about 94% larger than the population of Amsterdam. When comparing the sizes of Kathmandu and Amsterdam, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.