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Money & currency

Money in Nepal

Updated 2026-08-15

Money & Currency
₨

Nepalese Rupee (NPR)

Currency code: NPR

Practical Money Tips

Carry enough cash for the entire trek

There are no cash machines on trekking routes. Once you leave Kathmandu or Pokhara for the hills you are working entirely from what you carry, and there is no way to top up. Work out your daily spend from the actual menu and room prices at the altitudes your route reaches — they climb steadily with height, because everything was carried up — then multiply by your days and add a genuinely generous buffer for a delay, an extra night or an unplanned change of plan. Draw it out over several days before departure rather than in one large withdrawal on the morning you leave. Some lodges on the busiest routes will take US dollars for larger bills, but never plan on it.

Cash machines work in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and effectively nowhere else

The main commercial banks operate machines throughout Kathmandu — the tourist district has them in quantity — and around Pokhara's lakeside, and most take Visa and Mastercard. Per-transaction and daily withdrawal limits vary by bank and are lower than travellers from richer countries expect, so plan on several withdrawals rather than one. Machines do run out of cash, particularly around major festivals, which is another argument for drawing your trekking money over a few days instead of on departure morning.

Cards work at upmarket hotels; everything else is cash

Visa and Mastercard are accepted at international-standard hotels, some upmarket restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and airline offices. Contactless works at a small number of modern terminals in premium city hotels and should not be relied on anywhere else. Teahouses, local restaurants, transport, permit offices, shops and taxis are cash. Nepal is fundamentally a cash economy for visitors, and the mental adjustment — carrying, budgeting and safeguarding physical money — is one of the genuine practical differences from travelling in the region's more card-friendly countries.

Exchange in Kathmandu rather than at home

Licensed exchange offices in Kathmandu's tourist district display their rates openly and are competitive; exchanging Nepali rupees at home is considerably worse. US dollars get the widest acceptance and the best rates, euros are straightforward, and other major currencies are exchangeable at fewer places. Bring clean, undamaged notes, since torn or marked bills are often refused, and carry some small denominations for tips and for situations where change is scarce. The Nepali rupee is pegged to the Indian rupee at a fixed official rate, and Indian currency circulates in small denominations — but large Indian notes are not accepted, which catches out travellers arriving overland.

Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.

Common Money Questions

What currency does Nepal use?

The Nepali rupee, written NPR or Rs. Notes run 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000; coins exist in small values but are rarely seen. The rupee is pegged to the Indian rupee at a fixed official rate rather than floating against it, which is why prices in the two countries track each other. Indian currency is widely accepted in small denominations, but large Indian notes are not — a genuine practical trap for anyone crossing the land border with a wallet full of them.

How cheap is Nepal really?

Genuinely one of the world's most affordable destinations, and the relative picture is more useful than any figure. Local food is inexpensive to the point of changing how you travel, guesthouse rooms cost a small fraction of Western rates, and a teahouse trek is cheap by the standards of mountain travel anywhere else because it involves no camping equipment, no porters unless you hire them, and no expedition logistics. On a trek, meals rather than beds are the main expense, and both climb with altitude. Check current prices when budgeting — they shift with season, route and how far from a road you are.

Can I use contactless or mobile payments in Nepal?

Effectively no, as a visitor. Contactless works at a handful of premium hotel terminals in Kathmandu and essentially nowhere else. Nepal does have widely used domestic mobile payment apps, but they require a Nepali bank account and phone number, so they are not open to travellers. Plan on cash as the only reliable payment method outside the small number of card-accepting hotels and restaurants.

How much cash should I carry on a trek?

Rather than a single figure, use the method — it is more accurate and it does not date. Look at the actual menu and room prices at the altitudes your route reaches, remembering they rise steadily with height because supplies are carried up on foot, and count the extras that add up: hot showers, device charging, drinking water or purification, and snacks. Multiply by your number of days, then add a substantial buffer for a weather delay or an extra night. Draw it out over several days beforehand, and split it between several places in your pack.

Is tipping expected in Nepal?

Appreciated rather than obligatory in restaurants and taxis, where rounding up is normal and some tourist-area places already add a service charge. On a trek it is different and matters more: tips for guides and porters are a meaningful part of their income and are conventionally given at the end. Amounts vary by route length, group size and season, so ask your agency directly what is customary before you set out — they will tell you plainly, and it is far better than guessing on the last morning.

Should I bring US dollars, euros or pounds?

US dollars get the best rates and the widest acceptance, euros are straightforward at banks and licensed exchange offices, and other currencies work at fewer places. Bring clean, undamaged notes, as torn or marked bills are frequently refused, and include some small denominations for tips and for places where change is hard to come by. Higher-denomination dollar notes generally attract better rates than small ones, so a mix is ideal.

How do I pay for transport in Nepal?

Local transport is cash. Taxis in Kathmandu are negotiated before you get in rather than metered, tourist buses on the main routes are booked and paid at the counters in the tourist district, and local buses are paid on board. Domestic flights can usually be booked and paid online or at an airline office, and the mountain-airstrip routes book out well ahead in peak season, so arrange those as early as you can. How the transport itself works — the journey times, the airstrips and the season — is covered on the getting-around guide.

Entry rules, visa types and practical notes live on the Nepal overview.

This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.