Which place is cheaper, Mexico City or Kathmandu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kathmandu or Mexico City?
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 Mexico City 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 Mexico City?
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.
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
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 in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKathmandu $57Mexico City $214
The average daily cost (per person) in Kathmandu is $57, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $214. 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 Mexico City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKathmandu $40Mexico City $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKathmandu $80Mexico City $82
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Mexico City? 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 Mexico City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kathmandu $6.95Mexico City $13
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:
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Pokhara Hotels: $244
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Chitwan Hotels: $210
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu International Airport to Hotel : $25
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu Hotels to Domestic Airport Vehicle: $20
- Private Transfer to Bhaktapur from Kathmandu : $45
- Private Car Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara or Chitwan or Vv: $90
- Private Car Transfer Between Pokhara Airport and Lakeside: $12
- Private Arrival Transfer Kathmandu Airport to Kathmandu, Nepal: $45
- Pokhara: One way transfer To or From Kathmandu: $117
- One-Way Flight Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara: $130
- TIA Kathmandu Airport transfer: $18
- Mount Everest Scenic Tour by Plane with Transfers: $88
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.20
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Uber Ride$4.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Mexico city Airport - Mexico city Downtown hotels: $18
- Aguascalientes to Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Departure Transfer: $24
- Private Arrival Transfer In Mexico City International Airport (MEX) : $25
- Transfer to and from Mexico City Airport: $30
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mexico APT-HTL (MEX) : $36
- Transfer & assistance one-way from/to Mexico City Airport/hotel : $36
- Mexico City Private Airport Transfer : $36
- Private Transfer From Mexico City Airport to Downtown: $37
- Mexico Airport (MEX) Cuernavaca Thermal Resorts Arrival Transfer: $38
- Transfer in private vehicle from Mexico City - Mexico Airport (MEX): $43
- Mexico City Airport(MEX) to Chignahuapan Resorts-Arrival Transfer: $49
- Private Arival Transfer: Mexico Airport: $56
Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Mexico City?
Prices for flights to both Mexico City 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 $8.31Mexico City $27
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 Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$13
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Coffee and Snacks$4.69
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Dinner for 2$27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traveling Spoon Mexican Tacos and Tortillas Private Online Cooking Class: $40
- Veracruz and Boca del Rio Food Tour with Mangroves Boat Trip: $50
- Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $50
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Uruapan Food Tour: $60
- Muchos moles: Multi-variety mole cooking class and feast: $70
- Mexico City Vegan & Veggie Market Explorer plus Cooking Lesson: $72
- Street Food Tour with Friends: $75
- La Roma Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Food Tour with Ride an Electric Bike in Mexico: $80
- Flamenco Tablao Live Show & dinner: $83
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kathmandu $8.04Mexico City $15
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
- Hire Tour Guide Nepal : $81
- Manakamana Darshan- Day Tour: $199
- One Day Tour inside Chitwan National Park: $117
- Private Kathmandu Day Tour: $70
- Two Days Sightseeing in Kathmandu Tour UNESCO Heritage sites: $150
- "Unleash the Adventure: Conquer the Annapurna Circuit Trek": $1,288
- 1 Day Cycling Tour in Kathmandu: $311
- 1 Day Everest base camp helicopter tour: $2,141
- 1 Day Kathmandu Shopping Tour Experience: $100
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour from Pokhara or Kathmandu: $141
- 1-Day Bungee Jumping Tour from Kathmandu: $160
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.68
- Franz Mayer Museum Admission Ticket: $5.85
- Double Decker Bus Night Tour: $5.85
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Mexico for Beginners: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour-Moctezuma and the Zocalo:The Aztec Empire : $6.99
- Night Bus Tour Knowing Mexico City: $7.24
- La Roma's Famous Sights and Local Lore: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Memory and Tolerance Museum Entry Ticket: $8.19
- Mexico City (Historic Centre) City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.78
- Mexico City (Coyoacan) City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.78
- Mexico City (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $8.98
- Mexico City (Coyoacan) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.98
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKathmandu $5.77Mexico City $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Mexico City Bar Crawl: $29
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $30
- Best Bar Crawl at Downtown: $49
- Nightly Historic Center From Above© Rooftop Bar Crawl +Taco Snack: $129
- 2 Hours Private Mexican Wine Tasting in Polanco: $155
- Private Tacos & Wine Tour in Polanco : $159
- Third Largest Monolith in the World:Bernal with wine tasting: $235
- Cavas Freixenet Wine Tour from Mexico City: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kathmandu and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City 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 Mexico City 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City 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 Mexico City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kathmandu or Mexico City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Kathmandu. When comparing the sizes of Kathmandu and Mexico City, 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.