Moving to California from Nepal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Nepal to California? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Nepal to California, you would find that California is 9.5 times more expensive than Nepal overall. A NPR11,405,539 salary in Nepal would need to be roughly $257,973 in California to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Nepal and California.
What does your salary buy?
NPR11,405,539 → $257,973
To maintain the same standard of living in California
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 8.7 times more
Groceries
pay 4.7 times more
Transportation
pay 2.4 times more
Housing
pay 21.6 times more
Childcare
pay 21.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.2 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Nepal to California.
people moved from Nepal to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
43.176,462
Nepal
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in California compared to Nepal.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Nepal performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs significantly better than Nepal across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California performs significantly better than Nepal across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs significantly better than Nepal across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kathmandu | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/40°F (21°/4°C) | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/67°F (28°/19°C) | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kathmandu | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/36°F (18.0°/2.1°C) | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 68°/39°F (20.2°/3.8°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) |
| Mar | 76°/46°F (24.3°/7.5°C) | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 81°/52°F (27.4°/11.3°C) | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) |
| May | 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.5°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) |
| Jun | 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jul | 82°/68°F (27.7°/20.0°C) | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) |
| Aug | 82°/67°F (28.0°/19.7°C) | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) |
| Sep | 81°/65°F (27.2°/18.2°C) | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/55°F (25.8°/13.0°C) | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) |
| Nov | 73°/45°F (22.7°/7.4°C) | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) |
| Dec | 67°/37°F (19.4°/3.0°C) | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Department of Hydrology and meteorology,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nepal and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Nepal passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Nepal
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in California than Nepal?
On average California is around 244% pricier than Nepal, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to California?
Budget about $64,493 for 3 months in California (based on a NPR11,405,539 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from California?
From major California cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Nepal and California are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in California compared to Nepal?
Nepal performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in California compared to Nepal?
The average high temperature in Sacramento is 74°F, compared to 77°F in Kathmandu. Sacramento receives around 18.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kathmandu gets 56.1 in.
What language do they speak in California?
The official language in California is English. In Nepal, the official language is Nepali.
