I am thinking to go to Nepal and grow my online business there. I could not find Kathmandu in the nomad list so I hoped someone here could tell about his/her experience in this city or Nepal in general. Pros/cons?
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| ⭐️ Overall Score | 191 reviews |
| 👍 Quality of life score | |
| 👶 Family score | |
| 💵 Cost | |
| 📡 Internet | |
| 😝 Fun | |
| ⛅️ Temperature (now) | |
| 💦 Humidity (now) | |
| 💨 Air quality (now) | |
| 💨 Air quality (annual) | |
| 👌 Safety | |
| 🎓 Education level* | |
| 💰 Income level* | |
| 🙊 English speaking | |
| 🚶 Walkability | |
| ✌️ Peace (no pol. conflict) | |
| 🚦 Traffic safety* | |
| 🏥 Healthcare | |
| 😄 Happiness | |
| 🍸 Nightlife | |
| 📶 Free WiFi in city | |
| 🖥 Places to work from | |
| 🗯 Freedom of speech | |
| 👩 Female friendly | |
| 🌈 LGBTQ+ friendly | |
| 🎅 Startup Score |
| 🌍 Region | Asia |
| 🚩 Country | Nepal |
| ⏱ Average trip duration | 10 days |
| 📡 Internet speed (avg) | 6 Mbps |
| ⛅️ Weather (now) | 🌥 26°C 79°F + 😊 Comfy (47%) = feels 27°C 81°F |
| 💨 Air quality (now) | 😷 171 US AQI = 🚬 🚬 / day |
| 💨 Air quality (annual avg) | 👍 40 US AQI 🍃 good |
| 🔌 Power | 230V50Hz |
| 🚕 Best taxi app (in country) | |
| 🚑 Travel medical insurance |  Safetywing |
| 📱 Best wireless carrier | Ncell |
| 💸 1,000 NPR in USD | USD 7.02 |
| 🏧 Suggested ATM take out: | NPR 10,000 = USD 70 |
| 💳 Cashless society | 💵 No, cash only (esp. for foreigners) |
| ☕️ Best coffee place | coffee culture |
| 🚰 Safe tap water | 🚫 No, not drinkable |
| ♻️ Return rate | 8% of visitors return |
| 👨👩👧👦 Population | 260,000 people |
| 👨👩👧👦 GDP per Capita | $722 / year |
| 👫 Gender ratio (overall) | 👨 50% 👱♀️ 50% |
| 👫 Gender ratio (young adults) | 👨 50% 👱♀️ 50% |
| 🏠 Apartment listings | Hamrobazaar |
| ✈️ Best int'l air carrier | Etihad Airways |
| 💵 Cost of living for nomad | €585 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for expat | €356 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for family | €673 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for local | €192 / month |
| 🏠 1br studio rent in center | €132 / month |
| 🏢 Coworking | €54 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | €384 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | €18 / night |
| 🏠 Airbnb (404 listings) | €553 / month |
| 🏠 Airbnb | €18 / night |
| 🍛 Dinner | €2 |
| 🥤 Coca-Cola (0.3L) | €0 |
| 🍺 Beer (0.5L) | €1 |
| ☕️ Coffee | €1 |
I am thinking to go to Nepal and grow my online business there. I could not find Kathmandu in the nomad list so I hoped someone here could tell about his/her experience in this city or Nepal in general. Pros/cons?
I am on my last day of a four week stint in Kathmandu. I think Nepal is a great place to visit for many reasons (a new culture, outdoor activities, spirituality, etc) but to get work done it’s far from ideal. There are much better places for that. I wrote up my thoughts on Kathmandu as a place for nomads here: http://smartmoneysmartliving.com/2016/05/27/digital-nomad-guide-kathmandu/
Hey !
I just stayed in Kathmandu for 8-9 days to work. I am now in Pokhara, Nepal. You can definitely work from Kathmandu and Nepal.
Platform in Katmandu is a good co-working space if you want to work during the day. Its open 10AM to 17PM. Wifi is good (25 mbps according to owner). Wi-fi from hotel are really basic and not so good. So when you want to work during the evening, use 3G from your phone. Also if you stay in a hotel in Thamel you will barely notice the power cuts as they all have generators.
But the air quality in Katmandu is really really bad. That for me was the real shock. Pokhara so far is much better.
As much as I absolutely adore Kathmandu, I would say steer clear as a digital nomad. The wifi is finicky at best (with scheduled power outages all over the city every single day).
But, it’s one of the richest, most interesting cities I’ve visited.
Has anyone been to any of the co-working spaces, like Platform, in Kathmandu? I am considering doing a month in Nepal, working during the week and exploring the country on weekends. Power outages and wonky internet don’t sound very appealing though 
I was in Kathmandu 18 days in Jan/Feb 2016 but didn’t use co-working spaces. Stayed 8 days, then the ABC trek out of Pohkara and then back for 10 days in KTM. I found an airbnb in Chandel for $10/day with a proper backup generator and 5MB up and down and stayed there both times while in KTM. The internet worked about 95% of the time with two -4hr periods that it went down as part of a wider network outage. After a few months in India it actually was the best work environment I’d had in a while. The internet in cafe’s in Thamel is very mixed, and not dependable.
DM me on slack (@thewinevagabond) if you want details of the airbnb i stayed in, they were lovely people and the apartment was really nice with 2 bedrooms, hot water (super rare in nepal) and a kitchen.
Dude, I wouldn’t say the biggest problem would be reliable internet. But if you can get over that hurdle (say with a powerful unlimited data plan you can tether with), then Kathmandu would be awesome! It’s a very laid back place where creative energy flows. There’s just a vibe there that is so pleasant, and lots of travelers lounging around in the cool coffee shops. Also, you’re a hop skip away from the Himalayas, India and Buddha’s birthplace. Would be a rad place to get a business going.
Hope that helps. Also would love to know more about your online business. What you getting into?!
Hi, I’ve been there. I wouldn’t recommend working there, but I can ask a friend (local) there if there are any opportunities at all. Nepal is known for a lot of power outage and there were times when I was having a VOIP call with my friend and then it took another 5 hours for her to get back to me.
It’s awesome for traveling, exploring and discovering this beautiful culture.
It depends on the type of nomad you are and if you can deal with unstable and slow internet. It’s not recommended, your networking opportunities are low however if none of that is an issue, the cost of living would be great for bootstrapping a business. In most cases I’d recommend Chiang Mail if you want a cheap place with decent internet and ability to network.
I’ve met a lot of travelers who have been but none of them would recommend the region for online work.
Anyone knows what internet options you have in Kathmandu?
I need to work a couple of hours when Im in Kathmandu, So I need to have reliable internet connection.
Is there any 3G options? I have an unlocked mobile Wi-Fi router
Hey @Alejandrow
So there are two main telecom providers in Kathmandu (in terms of reach). Ncell and NTC, my experience with NTC has been below average but Ncell used to be fairly reliable. Last year I could do Skype video calls. Although, when I was last in Kathmandu in September I felt Ncell wasn’t as fast (locals tell me that they have lowered the prices and mass adoption has lowered speeds). Saying that you are still better off with Ncell. If you do buy it, make sure to get one of the 3G packages this will certainly make it more affordable.
There are quiet a few cafés you can visit in Kathmandu too. Many spread across Thamel or Jhamsikhel (Jhamel). Although, my favourite cafe to work out is Lakuri Cafe (opposite Russian Embassy) or Imago Dei Cafe Gallery.
All the best mate!
✅ Very cheap to live
✅ Pretty safe
✅ Lots of fun stuff to do
✅ Warm now
✅ Warm all year round
✅ Perfect humidity now
✅ Good air quality usually
✅ Spacious and not crowded
✅ People can speak basic English
✅ Safe for women
✅ LGBTQ+ friendly
✅ Not many people smoke tobacco
❌ Pretty slow internet
❌ Bad air quality today
❌ Very difficult to make friends
❌ Difficult to do business
❌ Quality of education is low
❌ Hospitals are not that great
❌ Roads can be dangerous
❌ Freedom of speech is weak
❌ Not very democratic
❌ Not family friendly
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Feels | 6619° mild | 6820° mild | 7524° warm | 7725° warm | 8228° warm | 8429° warm | 7524° warm | 7725° warm | 7323° mild | 7323° mild | 7222° mild | 6418° cool |
| Real | 6619° mild | 6820° mild | 7524° warm | 7725° warm | 8228° very warm | 8127° warm | 7524° warm | 7725° warm | 7323° mild | 7323° mild | 7222° mild | 6418° cool |
| Humidity | nice 33% | nice 43% | nice 33% | nice 51% | nice 44% | nice 61% | nice 70% | nice 66% | nice 69% | nice 61% | nice 56% | nice 52% |
| Rain | dry 30mm | dry 41mm | dry 20mm | rainy 68mm | dry 35mm | rainy 212mm | rainy 159mm | rainy 84mm | rainy 99mm | dry 31mm | dry 8mm | dry 13mm |
| Cloud | clear 6% | pockets 30% | pockets 13% | pockets 32% | pockets 12% | pockets 32% | cloudy 83% | cloudy 87% | cloudy 89% | pockets 31% | pockets 33% | pockets 16% |
| Air quality | bad 121 US AQI | clean 40* US AQI | okay 89 US AQI | okay 86 US AQI | okay 87 US AQI | clean 49 US AQI | clean 21 US AQI | clean 27 US AQI | clean 40 US AQI | okay 80 US AQI | bad 102 US AQI | bad 126 US AQI |
| Sun | sunscreen 5 UVI | sunburn 7 UVI | avoid sun 9 UVI | avoid sun 10 UVI | avoid sun 12 UVI | avoid sun 11 UVI | sunburn 7 UVI | sunburn 7 UVI | sunburn 7 UVI | sunburn 7 UVI | sunscreen 6 UVI | sunscreen 4 UVI |
| Nomad List members | 0 people | 2 people | 1 people | 1 people | 2 people | 1 people | 0 people | 1 people | 1 people | 1 people | 1 people | 1 people |
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