Nepal (NP)

Nepal is a landlocked Himalayan nation between India and China, home to eight of the world's ten highest peaks including Mount Everest (8,849m).

Capital: Kathmandu

Region: Asia

Language: Nepali

Currency: NPR (Rs)

Cost of living: Very affordable (index 18)

Emergency: 100

Daily Life

Practical day-to-day information for living in Nepal.

🛒 Supermarkets

Bhat-Bhateni mid

Nepal's largest supermarket and department store chain; 29 locations including 13 in Kathmandu Valley. Suffered major damage in Sept 2025 protests (many outlets burned); most locations have reopened or are rebuilding in 2026.

Big Mart mid

Rapidly growing chain with 72–73 stores in Kathmandu Valley and Chitwan; competitive pricing and good suburban reach; delivery available.

SalesBerry mid

Newer urban supermarket with modern store layouts and comfortable shopping environment; growing presence in Kathmandu.

Local kirana shops budget

Neighbourhood staple stores for water jars, snacks and everyday household items; open long hours; relationships with local shopkeepers are useful.

Organic stores and import shops premium

Used by expats for imported, organic and specialty foods; concentrated around Thamel, Jhamsikhel, Lazimpat and Patan.

Opening Hours

Small shops: 07:00–21:00 daily, some later. Bhat-Bhateni and Big Mart: roughly 08:00–21:00 daily. Banks: 09:30–15:00 Sunday–Friday (some branches vary). Government offices: 10:00–17:00 Sunday–Friday. Saturday is the main weekly holiday; Sunday is a normal working day. Festival closures (Dashain, Tihar, Chhath) can shut the city for days.

Sunday Rules

Sunday is a normal working day in Nepal. Saturday is the main official holiday — most government offices, banks and many businesses close. International schools, embassies and NGOs may follow different schedules. Festival periods override all normal schedules: expect long closures during Dashain (October) and Tihar.

Recycling

Formal recycling infrastructure is limited. Waste pickers and scrap dealers (kabadiwala) informally recover cardboard, paper, metal cans, plastic and e-waste from streets and bins. Separate glass and e-waste — REPCON and other registered e-waste collectors accept electronics and batteries in Kathmandu. Apartment buildings vary widely in waste management; confirm arrangements when renting. Open burning of waste is a significant air quality issue in the valley — do not burn.

Dining Out

Kathmandu and Pokhara have strong cafe, momo, thakali, Newari, Indian, Tibetan, Korean, Japanese and international restaurant scenes. Food hygiene varies sharply; choose busy establishments, avoid ice unless you know the water source and use filtered or bottled water. Typical prices: dal bhat at a local place NPR 200–400; mid-range cafe NPR 600–1,500; upscale restaurant NPR 2,000–5,000.

Tipping: Restaurants typically add 10% service charge and 13% VAT to bills in Kathmandu and Pokhara; no additional tip needed in those cases. Without a service charge, 10% is appreciated in restaurants. Trekking tipping is important: tip guides NPR 1,000–1,500 per day, porters NPR 500–1,000 per day as a baseline; adjust for multi-day treks. Tip hotel staff, drivers and domestic staff modestly for good service.

Utilities & Internet

Electricity: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA); much better than the load-shedding era but brief cuts still occur. Many apartments have an inverter or battery backup. Water: tanker delivery, underground storage or rooftop tanks are common; treat or filter all water for drinking. Gas: cooking cylinders (LP gas) from Nepal Oil Corporation outlets. Internet: fiber rollout is advancing in Kathmandu; average speeds 30–50 Mbps on fiber. Air purification is strongly recommended November–March.

Internet providers

WorldLink Communications — largest private ISP; fiber across Kathmandu Valley; reliable for home and businessVianet — strong fiber coverage in Kathmandu; competitive pricingSubisu — cable and fiber ISP; established Kathmandu providerDishHome FiberNet — fiber ISP; growing coverage in the valleyNepal Telecom FTTH (NT Fiber) — state provider fiber; broad rollout in progress across the country

Mobile operators

Nepal Telecom (NTC) — state-owned; largest network; 4G LTE nationwide including remote areas; most reliable outside KathmanduNcell (Axiata) — strong 4G in urban areas and major trekking routes; competitive data packagesSmart Telecom — smaller private operator; 4G available in select urban areas; limited rural coverage

Cultural Tips for Expats

→ Addresses use landmarks and toles (neighbourhood names) rather than precise street numbers: learn your ward number, tole name and the nearest major chowk (intersection).
→ Saturday is the main weekly holiday; Sunday is a normal working day — this surprises many arrivals.
→ Air pollution in Kathmandu Valley is a serious health issue from November through March; N95 masks and indoor air purifiers are practical necessities, not optional.
→ Festival travel (Dashain, Tihar, Chhath, Holi) can stop normal logistics — roads clog, transport books out and staff take leave for a week or more.
→ Water, power and internet redundancy (inverter, water tank, backup data SIM) transforms daily quality of life; plan these before moving in.

Quiet Hours

Nepal has no national statutory quiet-hours framework. Noise rules are set by building management, neighbourhood expectations and, for serious disturbances, by local police under the Public Offences Act or municipal by-laws. Religious events, festivals, weddings and temple celebrations generate noise that is community-sanctioned and not subject to complaint. Plan your housing with this context in mind.

Night After 22:00

Most residential buildings expect loud music, construction and parties to end by 22:00. Complaints can be made to the building committee or the local ward office (Nagarpalika); serious cases go to the nearest police station.

Religious and festival periods Variable (check Hindu and Buddhist calendar)

Bhajan singing, wedding bands and temple celebrations create noise that is culturally accepted. Complain only through the most indirect means; confrontation is counterproductive.

Apartment and gated buildings Lease and building-specific rules

Generator timing, rooftop use, pet noise and laundry schedules may have building-specific rules enforced by the caretaker (chowkidar).

Common Mistakes

•Renting near a temple, wedding hall or party venue without visiting on a Friday or Saturday night.
•Running generators loudly at night without checking building norms.
•Ignoring the importance of the landlord-tenant relationship — disputes are resolved informally, not through formal legal channels.

Consequences

Landlord disputes, pressure from the ward committee, police complaints or non-renewal of lease. No statutory residential noise fines exist; outcomes depend on relationships and the local ward office.

Postal Services

Nepal Post (Nepal Postal Service; mail.gov.np) is the national postal operator. Reliability for important domestic deliveries is inconsistent; for immigration papers, legal notices, banking documents and parcels, expats use private couriers: DHL, FedEx, Bluedart or domestic courier services (Karnali Express, GTS, Day & Night Courier). Nepal Post's EMS (Express Mail Service) is available for international tracked delivery.

Parcel Lockers

Automated parcel lockers are not available in Nepal. Deliveries rely on phone calls — couriers ring your mobile when they arrive. Provide a precise address with tole name, ward number, nearest chowk and building name. For high-value items, arrange for someone at home or inform your building chowkidar.

ID Verification

Couriers and customs may request passport copy or citizenship certificate (Nagarikta) for valuable deliveries and customs clearance. For Nepal visa extensions and work permit renewals, keep original documents available as government offices rarely accept photocopies. For bank account opening, both passport and a local reference letter from your employer or embassy are commonly required.

Registered Mail

Nepal Post offers registered post for tracked domestic delivery. For legal, immigration and financial documents, use a private courier with tracking and delivery confirmation. Retain all tracking records — Nepal's Department of Immigration and other offices frequently request proof of postmarked submission dates.

Mail Forwarding

Nepal Post does not operate a reliable automatic forwarding service. Before leaving an address, arrange for private courier forwarding, designate a trusted contact to hold mail, or notify all correspondents directly. Alert your employer, bank, Department of Immigration and any registered Nepali authority of address changes using a formal letter.

→Include your mobile number on every delivery — Nepali couriers call, not knock.
→For customs clearance on international parcels, prepare invoices and be ready for a customs call requiring a TP (Taxpayer Permanent Account) number or passport number.
→Medication imports have strict limits: bring a medical certificate and keep quantities within personal-use thresholds.
→DHL and FedEx offer reliable international express service to Kathmandu; allow extra clearance time during festival periods.
→For important documents sent within Nepal, DHL domestic or private couriers with tracking are far more reliable than Nepal Post.