A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kathmandu vs. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kathmandu or Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park?

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 Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park 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 Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park?

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.

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

Spanning the Japanese prefectures of Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Kanagawa and Tokyo, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is a natural area with beautiful scenery as well as a number of popular tourist spots. Some of its highlights include Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands, offering a geographic range of natural hot springs, coastlines, mountainous areas, lakes, and more than 1,000 volcanic islands.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal, The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Kathmandu?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kathmandu is $57, while the average daily cost in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is $88. 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 Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kathmandu $40
    Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $52
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kathmandu $80
    Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $104
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park? 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.

Hotels in Kathmandu


Hotels in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park


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 Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kathmandu $6.95
    Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $26
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kathmandu

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Kathmandu:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.50

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:

  • Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour with Transfers: $1,999
  • Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Chitwan Hotels: $210
  • Kathmandu to Chitwan (Sauraha) Private Transfer: $197
  • 3-Day Chitwan Safari Tour with Hotel Transfers: $192
  • Kathmandu to Pokhara Transfer by Luxury Private Car: $180
  • From Bungee Jump over Bhotekosi River & Transfer: $160
  • Kathmandu to Pokhara: One Way Private Transfer: $156
  • Everest Mountain flight by a plane with Transfer: $156
  • Everest Mountain Flight with Private Transfers: $156
  • From One-Way Private Transfer to Pokhara: $148
  • One-Way Flight Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara: $130
  • From Private car transfer to Pokhara: $117

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

Also for Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Hakone to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) - Private Departure Transfer: $155
  • Hakone Resorts to Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) - Departure Transfer: $242

Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park?

Prices for flights to both Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Kathmandu $8.31
    Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $20
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu

Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:


  • Dessert
    $1.35
  • 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.

  • Best Half-Day Nepali Cooking Class & Hotel Pickup: $7.50
  • Momo Making & Cooking class in Thamel with Pickup: $8.59
  • Half Day cooking class in Kathmandu by Local Chefs & Pickup: $9.37
  • Best Half day cooking class in Thamel Kathmandu with Pickup: $10
  • Dinner with Cultural Show Kathmandu : $12
  • Cooking Class in Thamel Kathmandu by Local Chef with pickup: $13
  • Cultural Dinner Show with Traditional Dance: $17
  • Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel, Kathmandu with Pickup: $19
  • Half Day Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Visit: $23
  • Food Tour In Kathmandu With Walking Local Market: $23
  • Nepali cooking class and Homestay experience : $25
  • Kathmandu Culinary Adventure: A Cooking Class Experience: $29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kathmandu $8.04
    Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $11
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kathmandu

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:


  • Monkey Temple for Two
    $1.50
  • Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two
    $3.76
  • Swayambhunath Stupa
    $1.50

Tours and Activities in Kathmandu

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:

  • Day tour Namo Buddha : $90
  • Hire Tour Guide Nepal : $81
  • Manakamana Darshan- Day Tour: $199
  • One Day Tour inside Chitwan National Park: $110
  • Private Full Day Tour In Kathmandu City: $115
  • Private Full- Day Nagarkot SunriseTour and Bhaktapur( UNESCO) Durbar Square : $90
  • Two Days Sightseeing in Kathmandu Tour UNESCO Heritage sites: $150
  • "Off-The-Beaten-Path" Tour around Kathmandu : $70
  • 1 Day Cycling Tour in Kathmandu: $312
  • 1 Day Everest base camp helicopter tour: $2,146
  • 1 Day Kathmandu Shopping Tour Experience: $100
  • 1 Day Rock Climbing Tour near Kathmandu Valley: $190

Tours and Activities in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

  • Easygoing Nature Walk in Hakone Tour: $26
  • Supreme Sencha: Tea Ceremony & Making Experience in Hakone: $129
  • Private Shopping Tour from Hakone hotels to Grandberry Park: $134
  • Private Shopping Tour from Hakone to Gotemba Premium Outlets: $134
  • Traverse Outer Rim of Hakone Caldera and Enjoy Onsen Hiking Tour: $142
  • Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide: $155
  • Private Shopping Tour from Hakone to Mitsui Outlet Park Yokohama: $156
  • Hakone for Children to Enjoy! Japanese Crafts Experience: $174
  • Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide: $181
  • Tour around Mount Fuji group from 2 people ¥32,000: $209
  • Hakone Onsen Experience, Lake Ashi, Open-Air Museum Tour: $226
  • Hakone Full-Day Private Tour : $245

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kathmandu $5.77
    Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $8.39


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kathmandu and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, we can see that Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is more expensive. And not only is Kathmandu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park 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 Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Expensive?.