---
title: "Kathmandu vs Pune for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/kathmandu-vs-pune
description: "Under balanced weights Kathmandu edges it, 40 to 40, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Kathmandu is stronger on air quality, safety; Pune on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Kathmandu vs Pune for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Kathmandu edges it, 40 to 40, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Kathmandu is stronger on air quality, safety; Pune on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Kathmandu | Pune | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 84 | 80 | Kathmandu |
| Safety | 59 | 49 | Kathmandu |
| Healthcare | 51 | 53 | Pune |
| Internet | 50 | 57 | Pune |
| Visa ease | 6 | 6 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 12 | 12 | Kathmandu |
| Climate | 42 | 50 | Pune |
| Air quality | 29 | 11 | Kathmandu |
| Quality of life | 29 | 38 | Pune |

## Cost

| Metric | Kathmandu | Pune | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $677 | $750 | Kathmandu |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Kathmandu | Pune | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 2.3 | 3.6 | Kathmandu |
| Political stability (0–100) | 58.8 | 52.5 | Kathmandu |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 58 | 69 | Pune |
| Life expectancy | 70 yrs | 67.3 yrs | Kathmandu |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Kathmandu | Pune | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 17.1 Mbps | 29.8 Mbps | Pune |
| Upload | 16.2 Mbps | 7.7 Mbps | Kathmandu |

## Visa

| Metric | Kathmandu | Pune | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Kathmandu | Pune | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 50 | 12 | Kathmandu |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 | Pune |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Kathmandu | Pune | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 5 | 6 | Pune |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 37 µg/m³ | 45 µg/m³ | Kathmandu |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Kathmandu or Pune?

Kathmandu is cheaper: about $677 per month versus $750 for one person.

### Is Kathmandu or Pune safer?

Kathmandu scores higher on safety (59 vs 49), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Kathmandu or Pune?

Pune: a measured median of 29.8 Mbps versus 17.1 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Kathmandu](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kathmandu) · [Pune](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/pune). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/kathmandu-vs-pune