Which place is cheaper, Geneva or Kathmandu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Kathmandu or Geneva?
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 Geneva 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 Geneva?
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.
Geneva
Geneva is the second largest city in Switzerland and was previously the home for the United Nations Headquarters. The UN is now housed in New York City, but there is still a very strong presence in Geneva. Geneva is not known to be as energetic as some other European cities, but if you search it out, then you're sure to find some interesting places and lively nightlife. It's a very international city, in part because of the heavy UN presence, giving it an interesting feel. It is a French speaking city, and advertisements, signs, and television are all done in French.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Switzerland, and The Best Adventure Tours to Switzerland.
-
Kathmandu Prices
Nepal PricesGeneva Prices
Switzerland Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKathmandu $55Geneva $275
The average daily cost (per person) in Kathmandu is $55, while the average daily cost in Geneva is $275. 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 Geneva in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKathmandu $35Geneva $160
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKathmandu $70Geneva $320
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Geneva
Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Geneva? 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 Geneva Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kathmandu $6.10Geneva $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kathmandu
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Kathmandu:
-
Taxi Ride$1.32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Buddha Air Mount Everest Experience with Transfers: $190
- Chandragiri Hill Cable Car Tour with Hotel Transfers from Kathmandu: $60
- Chitwan to Pokhara Transfer by Private AC Car (One Way): $80
- Day Trip to Water and Amusement Park and Kirtipur sightseeing with Transfer: $87
- Kathmandu ↔ Chitwan Private Transfer: $131
- Kathmandu - Private departure transfer from Hotel to Airport: $15
- Kathmandu Airport Departure Transfer – Easy, Safe & Hassle-Free: $9.00
- Kathmandu Airport Private Transfer Service: $19
- Kathmandu Airport Private Transfer: Arrival or Departure Service: $15
- Kathmandu Airport Private Transfers: $16
- Kathmandu Airport Transfer Service: $18
- Kathmandu Airport Transfer to hotels – Easy, Safe & Hassle-Free: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Geneva
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Geneva:
- Transfer from Geneva to Chamonix: $18
- Geneva Airport (GVA) Private Transfer to Geneva/Lausanne/Chamonix: $48
- Airport Transfer: Geneva Airport GVA to Geneva by Business Car: $76
- VIP Transfer: $79
- Geneva Airport (GVA) to Geneva - Arrival Private Transfer: $89
- Arrival Transfer: Geneva Airport GVA to Geneva by Business Car: $90
- Departure Transfer: Geneva to Geneva Airport GVA by Business Car: $90
- Airport Transfer: Geneva to Geneva Airport GVA by Luxury Van: $102
- Airport Transfer: Geneva Airport GVA to Geneva by Luxury Van: $102
- Departure Transfer: Geneva to Geneva Airport GVA by Luxury Van: $102
- Arrival Transfer: Geneva Airport GVA to Geneva by Luxury Van: $102
- Geneva Airport: Private Transfer To Geneva City: $116
Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Geneva?
Prices for flights to both Geneva 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 dayKathmandu $13Geneva $100
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
-
Dessert$1.19
-
Dinner for Two$2.64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Local Foodie Food Tour around Durbar Square: $15
- Authentic Private Nepali Cooking Class in Kathmandu: $23
- Local Women Lead Nepali Cooking Class: $30
- Best Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Trip: $30
- Secret Food Tour - Food Bites and Sights Kathmandu 14+ Tastings: $35
- Momo Cooking Class -The Art Of Making MoMo with Home Chef: $35
- Exotic Food Tour Newari Flavors and Evening Trails 15 Tastings: $40
- Walking Street Food Tour in Kathmandu: $48
- Newari Cooking Class with a Home Chef- From market to the plate.: $50
- Yomari and Bara Newari Food Cooking Class Cultural Experience: $50
- Kathmandu Best Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $52
- Authentic Kathmandu Cooking Class and Guided Market Tour: $59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Geneva
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Geneva.
- Taste Geneva – A Full Food Tour of Swiss Flavors by Do Eat Better: $216
- City Tour and Fondue Cooking Class, Swiss Folklore: $221
- Geneva Food tour : Cheeses, wine, chocolate & fun: $250
- Food tour with EAT and CHILL TOUR Geneva & Lausanne: $273
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kathmandu $7.05Geneva $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:
-
Monkey Temple for Two$1.32
-
Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two$3.30
-
Swayambhunath Stupa$1.32
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- Full Day 7 UNESCO Tour with Lunch - Private/Group: $7.60
- Full Day Top 4 UNESCO Tour with Lunch - Private/Group: $7.60
- Kathmandu Sightseeing | UNESCO World Heritage sites Private/Group: $8.00
- Kathmandu to Pokhara Tourist Bus Ticket Luxury Sofa: $8.40
- Dhulikhel to Namo Buddha Hike & Tour - Private/Group: $9.50
- Kathmandu to Chitwan Tourist Bus Tickets: $9.50
- Chitwan to Bandipur Tourist Bus Luxury Sofa Seater: $10
- KATHMANDU FULL DAY SIGHTSEEING TOUR (6-hrs): $10
- Patan & Bhaktapur Heritage Tour with Lunch.: $10
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites Private & Small Group Tour: $10
- Private UNESCO World Heritage Tour | Top 4 UNESCO Site: $10
- Kathmandu to Lumbini Tourist Bus Ticket Luxury Sofa: $10
Tours and Activities in Geneva
Here are a few actual costs in Geneva for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Geneva Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $3.41
- Geneva Self Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- From Brunswick Monument to the Botanical Garden: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Highlights of Dark History Quest Experience: $7.17
- Geneva Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $8.65
- Geneva International Self-Guided Walking Tour: $8.65
- Geneva Exploration Game and City Tour on your Phone: $9.11
- TOP Geneva : Private Guided Tour with your mobile: $11
- The Many Faces of Self-Guided Audio City Tour: $12
- 50-Minute Lake Geneva Cruise: $24
- Audioguided sightseeing cruise of Geneva: $25
- Unusual Audio Tour of Geneva: $30
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKathmandu $5.02Geneva $25
Sample the Local Flavors in Kathmandu
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kathmandu:
- Kathmandu Nightlife and Pub Crawl Tour: $50
- Bar Tour and Pub Crawl Sip Stroll Repeat Thamel Night: $75
Sample the Local Flavors in Geneva
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Geneva:
- Geneva Countryside Wine Tasting At A Castle By E-Bike: $197
- Swiss Vineyard Wine Tasting Tour in Vaud: $255
- Lavaux, Chexbres, and Valais Wine Tasting Tour: $450
- Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting by TukTuk: $537
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kathmandu and Geneva, we can see that Geneva 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 Geneva 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 Geneva would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Geneva 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 Geneva Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kathmandu or Geneva?
Kathmandu has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Geneva. When comparing the sizes of Kathmandu and Geneva, 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.