Which place is cheaper, Sao Paulo or Kathmandu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Kathmandu or Sao Paulo?
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 Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo?
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.
Sao Paulo
With a population of around 11 million, and 20 million in the metropolitan area, Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. It's also one of the wealthiest cities in the southern hemisphere, although you don't have to look far to see the income disparities and inequalities that exist. The city is diverse and culturally rich, with excellent food, music, and entertainment.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal, The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro.
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Kathmandu Prices
Nepal PricesSao Paulo Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKathmandu $55Sao Paulo $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Kathmandu is $55, while the average daily cost in Sao Paulo is $64. 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 Sao Paulo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKathmandu $35Sao Paulo $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKathmandu $70Sao Paulo $60
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Sao Paulo
Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Sao Paulo? 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 Sao Paulo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kathmandu $6.10Sao Paulo $6.18
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$1.32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Kathmandu to Lumbini or Sunauli Border Transfer by Luxury Private Vehicle: $300
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Pokhara Hotels: $244
- Everest Scenic Flight with Window Seat and Transfer: $239
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Chitwan Hotels: $210
- Kathmandu to Pokhara Transfer by Luxury Private Car: $200
- Kathmandu to Chitwan Transfer by Luxury Private Car: $200
- Mount Everest Scenic Flight with Guaranteed Window Seat &Transfer: $190
- Buddha Air Mount Everest Experience with Transfers: $190
- Mount Everest Scenic Flight by Buddha Air with Hotel Transfers: $190
- Private Transfer to Syabrubesi from Kathmandu or Pokhara: $170
- Kathmandu–Pokhara Private Transfer by Car, Jeep and HIace: $156
- Yoga Experience Day Trip with Private Transfer From Kathmandu: $152
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sao Paulo
Also for Sao Paulo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro Airport (GIG): $18
- Private One Way Transfer from Sao Paulo to São Paulo Airport: $28
- Transfer from Sao Paulo City Center to Guarulhos Airport: $38
- Transfer CGH Airport Congonhas Sao Paulo city / Hotel: $42
- Receptive and Transfer Airports, Cities and Coast: $42
- Private Departure Transfer: São Paulo Hotels to Congonhas Airport: $43
- Transfer São Paulo City Center to Guarulhos Airport (GRU): $47
- Private Transfer: São Paulo Hotel to Guarulhos Int. Airport: $47
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guarulhos International Airport: $52
- Private Transfer from Vila Mariana to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $59
- Private Transfer from CGH to any point of the city of São Paulo: $60
- Transfers Main airports in Sao Paulo: $61
Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Sao Paulo?
Prices for flights to both Sao Paulo 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 $13Sao Paulo $26
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Dessert$1.19
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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 Sao Paulo
For Sao Paulo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in São Paulo with a Local Guide: $71
- 4h Cooking Class in São Paulo with 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $89
- Paulista Plates São Paulo Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $89
- São Suppers Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kathmandu $7.05Sao Paulo $4.17
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$1.32
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Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two$3.30
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Swayambhunath Stupa$1.32
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- "Off-The-Beaten-Path" Tour around Kathmandu: $70
- 1 Day Gay Tour Nepal: $155
- 1 Day Kathmandu 7 UNESCO Heritage Tour: $70
- 1 Day Kathmandu Heritage 4 UNESCO Tour with Lunch: $99
- 1 Day Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing Tour: $35
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour from Pokhara or Kathmandu: $141
- 1 Night 2 Days Daman Tour: $215
- 1 Nights 2 Days Private Nagarkot Tour Package from Kathmandu: $150
- 2 Day Kathmandu City with Nagarkot Sunrise, Changu Narayan and Bhaktapur Tour: $236
- 2 Day Kathmandu Sightseeing with Panauti, Namobuddha Tour from Kathmandu: $163
- 2 Days Private Tour from Chitlang to Markhu: $210
- 2 Days and 1 Night Chitwan Safari Tour: $125
Tours and Activities in Sao Paulo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sao Paulo.
- São Paulo Ibirapuera Self-Guided Walking Tour: $4.74
- São Paulo Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $4.74
- Downtown São Paulo's Epic History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Walking Tour Historic Center in São Paulo: $15
- Walking Tour of the Historic Center of Sao Paulo: $20
- Brazil Tropical Fruit Experience in São Paulo: $22
- Ladies Nightlife Tour with Drinks at Hidden Bars: $26
- Downtown-Center History Walking Tour: $28
- São Paulo Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $29
- São Paulo Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
- Historical and Cultural Tour Through Downtown São Paulo: $37
- Personal aromatic experience in São Paulo: $38
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKathmandu $5.02Sao Paulo $3.63
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 Sao Paulo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sao Paulo:
- São Paulo Nightlife: Pub Crawl in the City that Never Sleeps!: $59
- 4 Hours Pub Crawl in Vila Madalena: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kathmandu and Sao Paulo, we can see that Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo is in South 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 Sao Paulo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kathmandu or Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Kathmandu. When comparing the sizes of Kathmandu and Sao Paulo, 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.