Which place is cheaper, Honolulu or Kathmandu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kathmandu or Honolulu?
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 Honolulu 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 Honolulu?
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.
Honolulu
Hawaii's capital city of Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is the state's center for government, finance, and transportation. It's also the home of Waikiki Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the state of Hawaii. Nearly one million people live in this Honolulu metropolitan area. This is almost 80% of the state's population. The city is not the relaxed Hawaiian destination that you might be searching for, but is instead a fast paced, cosmopolitan city. In addition to attracting many tourists every year, you'll also find international businesses, military defense and a diverse culture and population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKathmandu $57Honolulu $284
The average daily cost (per person) in Kathmandu is $57, while the average daily cost in Honolulu is $284. 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 Honolulu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKathmandu $40Honolulu $183
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKathmandu $80Honolulu $366
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Honolulu
Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Honolulu? 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 Honolulu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kathmandu $6.95Honolulu $26
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:
- Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour with Transfers: $1,999
- Kathmandu to Lumbini or Sunauli Border Transfer by Luxury Private Vehicle: $300
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Pokhara Hotels: $244
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Chitwan Hotels: $210
- 3-Day Chitwan Safari Tour with Hotel Transfers: $194
- Kathmandu to Pokhara Transfer by Luxury Private Car: $180
- Everest Mountain Flight with Private Transfers: $164
- From Bungee Jump over Bhotekosi River & Transfer: $160
- From One-Way Private Transfer to Pokhara: $148
- One-Way Flight Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara: $130
- Kathmandu - Pokhara Private Transfer by Car/Jeep/Minibus: $120
- Pokhara: One way transfer To or From Kathmandu: $117
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Honolulu
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Honolulu are as follows:
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Rental Car for One Day$35
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Airport Shuttle for Two$30
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Hilton Parking$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Honolulu
Also for Honolulu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal: $18
- Departure Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal: $18
- Shared Departure Transfer from Waikiki Hotels to Honolulu Airport: $18
- Shared Arrival Transfer from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki Hotels: $18
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Honolulu Airport to Hotel or Cruise Terminal: $20
- Shared Departure Transfer: Oahu Hotels or Cruise Terminal to Honolulu Airport: $20
- Honolulu Airport Private Transfer to or from Waikiki: $32
- Airport Private Transfer with Arrival Lei Greeting: $35
- Honolulu Airport -Waikiki Arrival Private Transfer W/Lei Greeting: $35
- Oahu: Honolulu Shuttle Bus Transfer to Pearl Harbor: $37
- Private Transfer from Honolulu Airport (HNL) to Honolulu Port: $37
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Honolulu Airport to Hotel or Cruise Terminal: $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Honolulu?
Prices for flights to both Honolulu 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 $8.30Honolulu $53
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$3.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Half-Day Nepali Cooking Class & Momo Making: $7.50
- Momo Making & Cooking class in Thamel with Pickup: $8.57
- Half Day cooking class in Kathmandu by Local Chefs & Pickup: $9.35
- 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
- Cooking Class in Thamel Kathmandu by Local Chef with pickup: $22
- Nepali cooking class and Homestay experience : $22
- Half Day Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Visit: $23
- Food Tour In Kathmandu With Walking Local Market: $23
- Momo, Dhalbhat & Thukpa Cooking Class, Nepal: $25
Typical Food Prices in Honolulu
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Honolulu:
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Dinner for Two$73
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Lapperts Hawaii Ice Cream$5.55
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Chai's Island Bistro (for 2)$53
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Cheeseburger Waikiki (for 2)$34
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Matsumoto Shave Ice (for 2)$7.50
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Hot Dog with the Fixins'$8.30
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Sushi Dinner for Two$73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Honolulu
For Honolulu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hawaii Food Tour - Off The Beaten Path : $150
- Oahu Da Local's Food Tour: $150
- Lanai Tabura curated Private Aloha Plate Food Tour from Honolulu: $239
- Brewery and Local Food Tour: $480
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kathmandu $8.03Honolulu $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:
- 4 Days Kathmandu Nagarkot Tour : $235
- Day tour Namo Buddha : $90
- Hire Tour Guide Nepal : $81
- Manakamana Darshan- Day Tour: $199
- One Day Tour inside Chitwan National Park: $110
- 1 Day Cycling Tour in Kathmandu: $312
- 1 Day Everest base camp helicopter tour: $2,143
- 1 Day Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing Tour: $70
- 1 Day Rock Climbing Tour near Kathmandu Valley: $190
- 1 Day Volunteer Tour at Orphanage in Kathmandu: $273
- 1 Night 2 Days Daman Tour: $215
- 1 day Kathmandu World Heritage guided tour group join : $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Honolulu
For Honolulu, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Parking for Hike$5.00
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Pearl Harbor Audio Tour for Two$12
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2 hr Dinner Cruise$85
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1 Day Kayak Rental$36
Tours and Activities in Honolulu
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Honolulu.
- Heart of Waikiki Walking Tour: Audio Tour Guide: $4.99
- Historic Downtown Honolulu Tour: Audio Tour Guide: $4.99
- Military and Entertainment in Waikiki: A Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
- Waikīkī's Beaches and Royalty: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Hawaii‘s Historic Kingdom: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Oahu: USS Arizona Memorial Chief's Narrated Multimedia Tour: $7.99
- Downtown Honolulu Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
- Waikiki Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
- Honolulu In-App Audio Tour: Historical & Cultural Treasures: $9.00
- Honolulu's Backyard Rainforest Tour: Audio Tour Guide: $9.99
- USS Arizona Commander's Narrated Multimedia Tour - 23 Stops: $11
- Oahu: Honolulu 3-Hour Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKathmandu $5.77Honolulu $6.47
Sample the Local Flavors in Kathmandu
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kathmandu:
- Explore 4 Heritage Private Tour with Wine Tasting: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kathmandu and Honolulu, we can see that Honolulu 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 Honolulu is in North America, 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 Honolulu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Honolulu 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 Honolulu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kathmandu or Honolulu?
Kathmandu has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Honolulu. When comparing the sizes of Kathmandu and Honolulu, 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.