Money & ATMs in Nepal: A Traveller's Guide

Overview

Nepal's currency is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR, or Rs), and the single most important thing to understand is that Nepal is largely a cash economy. Cards work in bigger hotels, restaurants and shops in Kathmandu and Pokhara, but away from the tourist centres, and on every trek, cash is essential. As a rough guide the exchange rate hovers around US$1 to NPR 130–135, though rates move, so check a live converter before you travel.

The rupee is not freely traded abroad, so you generally get your rupees inside Nepal, from ATMs or licensed money changers, rather than bringing them from home. It is also a closed currency in the sense that you should spend or change back your rupees before leaving, keeping some exchange receipts if you want to convert leftover cash. This guide covers ATMs and their limits, changing dollars, when you need cash versus card, tipping, and how much to budget.

Cash vs Card

Cash is used for almost everything: local restaurants and tea shops, taxis, buses, market stalls, small guesthouses, entry fees, guides, porters and the entire trekking world. Always carry enough rupees for your immediate needs, and more than you think you will need once you leave the cities.

Cards (Visa and Mastercard most widely, less so Amex) are accepted at mid-range and upmarket hotels, tourist restaurants, trekking-gear shops and travel agencies in Kathmandu and Pokhara, but a surcharge of around 3–4% is common, and the machine or connection sometimes fails. Do not rely on cards as your main way to pay. Keep a card as a backup and for big-ticket items like hotels and tours, and use cash for everyday spending.

On any trek, assume there is no card acceptance at all. Teahouses, lodges, porters and guides are paid in cash, and prices rise the higher and more remote you go, so withdraw and carry enough before you set off from the trailhead town.

ATMs & Withdrawal Limits

ATMs that accept foreign Visa and Mastercard are plentiful in Kathmandu, Pokhara and other cities and larger towns. They are the easiest way to get rupees. A few things to know:

• Withdrawal limit: most machines cap a single withdrawal at around NPR 35,000 (some lower, around NPR 25,000–30,000). You can usually make more than one withdrawal, but each carries a fee.
• ATM fee: expect a local charge of roughly NPR 500 per withdrawal, on top of anything your home bank charges. To reduce fees, withdraw the maximum each time rather than small amounts.
• Reliability: machines can be out of cash, offline or eat cards, especially around festivals and weekends. Use ATMs attached to banks during opening hours where possible, and keep more than one card in case one is not accepted.

On treks, do not count on ATMs. There are machines at a few trailhead and hub towns (for example Namche Bazaar on the Everest route and Jomsom in Mustang), but they are unreliable, run out of cash and charge high fees. Treat any trekking ATM as a bonus, not a plan, and carry all the cash you expect to need from Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Changing Money & US Dollars

Bringing some foreign cash, ideally US dollars (euros and pounds also work), is smart as a backup and for specific costs. Licensed money changers in Thamel (Kathmandu) and Lakeside (Pokhara) are quick and usually offer better rates than banks or the airport; compare a couple of windows, count your rupees carefully, and keep the receipt.

You specifically need US dollars in cash for the visa on arrival, which is paid in dollars (or other major currencies) at the airport, so bring enough clean, undamaged notes for your visa fee, see our Nepal visa guide. Dollars are also handy for some permits and organised tours.

A note on Indian Rupees: the Nepalese rupee is loosely pegged to the Indian rupee (around NPR 1.6 to INR 1), and small INR notes are informally accepted in some border and tourist areas. However, high-value Indian notes (INR 500 and above) are officially not permitted to be brought into or used in Nepal, so do not rely on Indian cash, change it for rupees instead.

Tipping in Nepal

Tipping is not obligatory but is genuinely appreciated, and in the trekking world it is an expected and important part of guides' and porters' income. General guidance:

• Restaurants: many tourist restaurants add a service charge (often 10%) plus government tax to the bill; if not, rounding up or leaving around 10% is a kind gesture.
• Trekking guides and porters: a tip at the end of the trek is customary. Amounts vary widely, but as a rough guide, groups often pool a tip in the region of a few dollars per trekker per day for the guide, and a smaller amount for each porter, given respectfully at the end. Ask your agency what is typical for your trek.
• Drivers, hotel staff, porters at hotels: a small tip (a few hundred rupees) for good service is welcome.

Tip in rupees where you can, and give it directly and personally. Be aware that over-tipping, while well-meant, can distort local expectations, so aim for fair and consistent rather than extravagant.

Daily Budget Guide

Nepal is an affordable destination, though trekking (with permits, guides and higher teahouse prices) adds cost. Approximate daily budgets per person in the cities and lowlands (2026 estimates; trekking budgeted separately):

Typical prices: a plate of momos NPR 150–300; a dal bhat set NPR 300–600; a tourist-restaurant main NPR 400–1,000; a local bus fare a few tens of rupees; a short city taxi NPR 300–700; a budget room NPR 1,000–2,500; a mid-range hotel double NPR 3,500–8,000. Trekking costs (permits, guide, teahouses) are extra, see our Nepal trekking costs guide for real per-trek figures. Carry a mix of denominations, as small notes are useful for taxis, tea shops and tips.

Money Tips & Safety

• Withdraw before you trek. Take out all the cash you will need in Kathmandu or Pokhara; trailhead ATMs are unreliable and there are none higher up.
• Carry US dollars as backup and specifically for the visa on arrival, in clean, undamaged notes.
• Split your cash. Keep money in more than one place (a money belt, your daypack, your room safe) so losing one stash is not a disaster.
• Count your change and your rupees at money changers and after big purchases, and keep small notes for taxis, tea and tips.
• Keep two cards from different networks in case one is declined or an ATM keeps it, and tell your bank you are travelling.
• Change back leftover rupees before you fly home, and keep an exchange receipt if you want to reconvert, as the rupee is hard to change abroad.
• Use bank ATMs in daylight and be discreet with cash in busy areas; Nepal is generally safe, but ordinary precautions apply.