---
title: "Kathmandu vs Samarkand for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/kathmandu-vs-samarkand
description: "Under balanced weights Samarkand edges it, 49 to 47, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Kathmandu is stronger on nothing outright; Samarkand on healthcare, quality of life, safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Kathmandu vs Samarkand for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Samarkand edges it, 49 to 47, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Kathmandu is stronger on nothing outright; Samarkand on healthcare, quality of life, safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Kathmandu | Samarkand | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 76 | no data | — |
| Safety | 60 | 70 | Samarkand |
| Healthcare | 53 | 69 | Samarkand |
| Internet | 58 | 58 | Kathmandu |
| Visa ease | 34 | 33 | Kathmandu |
| Getting there & around | 44 | 48 | Samarkand |
| Climate | 42 | 42 | tie |
| Air quality | 29 | 32 | Samarkand |
| Quality of life | 30 | 41 | Samarkand |

## Cost

| Metric | Kathmandu | Samarkand | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $666 | no data | — |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Kathmandu | Samarkand | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 2.13 | 1.4 | Samarkand |
| Political stability (0–100) | 57.8 | 67.4 | Samarkand |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 58 | 79 | Samarkand |
| Life expectancy | 70 yrs | 72.2 yrs | Samarkand |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Kathmandu | Samarkand | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 17.1 Mbps | 16.3 Mbps | Kathmandu |
| Upload | 16.2 Mbps | 18.5 Mbps | Samarkand |

## Visa

| Metric | Kathmandu | Samarkand | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | e-visa required | Kathmandu |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | 30 days | Kathmandu |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | 30 days | Kathmandu |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Kathmandu | Samarkand | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 50 | 28 | Kathmandu |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Samarkand |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 | Samarkand |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Kathmandu | Samarkand | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 5 | 5 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 37 µg/m³ | 35.8 µg/m³ | Samarkand |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Kathmandu or Samarkand?

We lack a monthly cost figure for one of the two cities.

### Is Kathmandu or Samarkand safer?

Samarkand scores higher on safety (70 vs 60), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

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

Kathmandu: a measured median of 17.1 Mbps versus 16.3 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Kathmandu](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kathmandu) · [Samarkand](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/samarkand). 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); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); 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); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); 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); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Starlink availability map.

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