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

Should you visit Kathmandu or Oslo?

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 Oslo 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 Oslo?

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.

Oslo

Oslo is not only the largest city in Norway, and also its capital. It also holds the title as the most expensive city in the world. Oslo is a unique capital city in that its boundaries include much forest and wildlife. The city itself is nestled in an amphitheater type setting. The city's core is in the bottom by the fjord, and the residential areas stretch uphill away from the downtown area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal, The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in Norway, and The Best Northern Lights Tours in Norway.


Which place is cheaper, Oslo 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 Oslo is $137. 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 Oslo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kathmandu $40
    Oslo $81
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kathmandu $80
    Oslo $162
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Oslo

Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Oslo? 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 Oslo


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 Oslo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kathmandu $6.95
    Oslo $23
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:

  • Kathmandu - Arrival transfer from airport to hotel : $12
  • Kathmandu Airport Private Transfers: $16
  • Kathmandu Airport Transfer: $16
  • Airport Arrival & Departure Transfer: $18
  • Kathmandu airport transfer service: $19
  • Private Transfer: Kathmandu Domestic Airport to Hotel Vehicle : $20
  • Private Transfer: Kathmandu Hotels to Domestic Airport Vehicle: $20
  • Kathmandu Airport Arrival transfer: $20
  • Deluxe Toyota Coaster Mini Bus Transfer From Kathmandu to Pokhara or V. V. : $22
  • Kathmandu to Pokhara: Luxury Sofa Bus Transfer: $23
  • Private Transfer: Kathmandu International Airport to Hotel : $25
  • Kathmandu to Pokhara Transfer: $25

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Oslo

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Oslo are as follows:


  • Tram Ticket
    $6.61

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oslo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oslo:

  • Trondheim Vaernes Airport (TRD) to Trondheim - Arrival Transfer : $41
  • Oslo hotels to Oslo Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $46
  • Trondheim Vaernes Airport (TRD) to Trondheim- Round-Trip Transfer: $81
  • Private Transfer from Olso Airport to Olso Hotels: $82
  • Private One-way Airport Transfer (Oslo Airport To/From Oslo): $89
  • Oslo Cruise Port to Oslo Airport (OSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $90
  • Private Transfer from Oslo Airport to Oslo Cruise Port: $90
  • Oslo City Center to Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $91
  • Oslo Cruise Port to Oslo hotels- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
  • Olso: Private Transfer from the City Center to Oslo Airport: $108
  • Departure Private Transfer from Oslo to Oslo Airport OSL by Business Car: $114
  • Arrival Private Transfer Oslo OSL Airport to Oslo by Business Car: $115

Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Oslo?

Prices for flights to both Oslo 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 $8.30
    Oslo $30
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu

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


  • Dessert
    $1.35
  • 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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oslo

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Oslo.

  • Oslofjord Cruise with Seafood Dinner: $59
  • Oslo Alternative Culture and Street Food Tour: $73
  • Christmas Street Food Tour with Akevitt and Christmas beer : $111
  • 3-course Dinner Cruise in the Oslofjord: $119
  • Oslo Fjord 3 Course Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $119

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kathmandu $8.03
    Oslo $19
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:

  • 4 UNESCO World Heritage Site Tour Nepal: $0.43
  • Private Tour Chandragiri Hills and Kathmandu Durbar Square : $5.00
  • 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites Private Day Tour: $7.50
  • City Highlights Bus Tour: $9.54
  • Private 7 UNESCO Heritage Sites Day Tour: $10
  • Sarngkot Sunrise Himalayas Tour in Pokhara: $10
  • Kathmandu TO Gorkha Bus Ticket: $11
  • Skywalk Adventure in Nepal: $11
  • Discovering Full-Day City Highlights Bus Tour: $12
  • Nepali Nightlife Experience in Kathmandu's Vibrant Thamel: $12
  • Tourist Bus Intercity Hassle free Shuttle all over Nepal: $12
  • Bandipur Tourist Bus Ticket: $12

Tours and Activities in Oslo

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

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
  • Explore Oslo with Passionate Tour Guides: $3.23
  • Guided Walking Tour in Central Oslo: $4.45
  • Digging up the Past in Røros: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.99
  • Tour a Pie en Oslo en Español: $7.41
  • Downtown Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
  • An Oslo Waterfront Stroll: Self-paced Audio Tour: $7.99
  • A Self-Guided Tour of Akershus to Kongen Marina Waterfront: $7.99
  • Oslo Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Tour: $8.07
  • Discover Oslo's Heart: Audio Tour Through Time and Beauty: $11
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • The Fram Museum Admission Ticket: $13

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kathmandu $5.77
    Oslo $11

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 Oslo, we can see that Oslo 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 Oslo 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 Oslo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oslo 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 Oslo Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kathmandu or Oslo?

Kathmandu has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Oslo. When comparing the sizes of Kathmandu and Oslo, 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.