A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kathmandu vs. Nagoya for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kathmandu or Nagoya?

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 Nagoya 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 Nagoya?

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.

Nagoya

Nagoya is Japan's fourth-largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka, as well as one of the nation's major economic centers, being the home of auto giants like Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi Motors. With a history that dates back to samurai and ninja, Nagoya has evolved over the years into a trade center and hub for automobile and aircraft manufacturing. And it's also home to the Legoland resort!

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal, The Best Luxury Tours to Japan, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Nagoya 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 Nagoya is $89. 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 Nagoya in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kathmandu $40
    Nagoya $46
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kathmandu $80
    Nagoya $92
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Nagoya

Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Nagoya? 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 Nagoya


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 Nagoya Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kathmandu $6.95
    Nagoya $11
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:

  • 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: Kathmandu Domestic Airport to Hotel Vehicle : $20
  • Private Car Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara or Chitwan or Vv: $90
  • 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
  • Nagarkot to Kathmandu One Way Transfer by Private AC Car: $40
  • Mount Everest Scenic Tour by Plane with Transfers: $79
  • Mount Everest Scenic Tour by Plane with Transfers: $88
  • Everest Mountain flight by a plane with Transfer: $156

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nagoya

Also for Nagoya, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Nagoya City Hotels to Nagoya Cruise Port: $59
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya Cruise Port to Nagoya hotels: $66
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya hotels to Nagoya Cruise Port: $66
  • Private Transfer - Nagoya Cruise Port to Nagoya Int Airport (NGO): $94
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya city hotels to Kanazawa Cruise Port : $131
  • Chubu Itn Airport to/from Nagoya City private transfer: $136
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya City Hotels to Kanazawa Cruise Port: $144
  • Chubu Airport (NGO) to/from Nagoya Private Transfer: $157
  • Nagoya airport to/from LEGOLAND Private transfer: $187
  • Private One-Way Transfers to/from Suzuka Circuit: $276
  • Private Transfer between Chubu Centrair Int'l Airport and Nagoya: $283
  • Chubu Airport (NGO) to/from Kyoto Private Transfer: $441

Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Nagoya?

Prices for flights to both Nagoya 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
    Nagoya $27
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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nagoya

For Nagoya, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Grandma’s Traditional Cooking Class: $65
  • Nagoya Special Food Tour: $66
  • Market Tour and Authentic Nagoya Cuisine Cooking Class With a Local in Her Home: $92
  • Specialties of Nagoya Food Tour: $174

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kathmandu $8.04
    Nagoya $13
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 Nagoya

For Nagoya, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shirakawa-go from Nagoya One Day Bus ticket Oneway/Roundway: $22
  • Shirakawa-go From Nagoya One day Bus Self-guided Tour: $23
  • Hida Takayama from Nagoya Bus ticket Oneway/Raundway: $25
  • Shirakawa-go from nagoya 1D Bus ticket with Hida Beef Lunch: $49
  • Tie-Dye Activity and Traditional Town Walking Tour in NAGOYA: $52
  • From Gujo, Hida Takayama, and Shirakawa-go Day Tour: $60
  • From Ise Grand Shrine Day Tour: $60
  • Private Tea Ceremony Experience in a Shopping Arcade Tea Room: $65
  • Private Tour to Famous Places in Nagoya: $71
  • Customized Private Tour: $72
  • Mitsui Outlet Park, Light-Up Festival, & Onsen Tour: $76
  • Hida Takayama & World Heritage Shirakawa-go Day Tour: $81

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kathmandu $5.77
    Nagoya $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Nagoya

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nagoya:

  • Pub Crawl in Nagoya: $38
  • Restaurant and Bar Crawl in Nagoya Japan: $40


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kathmandu and Nagoya, we can see that Nagoya 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 Nagoya would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nagoya 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 Nagoya Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kathmandu or Nagoya?

Nagoya has a larger population, and is about 52% larger than the population of Kathmandu. When comparing the sizes of Kathmandu and Nagoya, 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.