Nepal
Cards, ATMs and cash in Nepal: what to expect
Credit cards are not widely accepted in Nepal: use them in hotels, trekking agencies and bigger restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and carry cash everywhere else. Withdraw rupees from bank ATMs in daytime, keep a backup card, and expect per-withdrawal fees plus a daily cap; on treks, cash is the only option.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
GuideNepal
Key facts
- Cards accepted
- Hotels, agencies and upmarket restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara; rarely in shops, teahouses or taxis
- Cash is the default
- Carry enough rupees for 2–3 days; ATMs are scarce outside cities and on trails
- ATM withdrawal feecheck
- Roughly NPR 500–700 per withdrawal on foreign cards, plus your own bank's fee (2026 estimate)
- ATM daily limitcheck
- Commonly NPR 20,000–35,000 per transaction; some machines lower (check)
- Best time to withdraw
- Daylight, inside a bank branch or a mall lobby, not a street machine at night
- Card network coveragecheck
- Visa and Mastercard most reliable; Amex and UnionPay patchy (check)
- Currency to pay in
- Always choose NPR on the terminal, not your home currency
Details
Nepal runs on cash. Hotels, trekking agencies, airlines and the better restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara take Visa and Mastercard, and a growing number take QR payments through local wallets, but those wallets usually need a Nepali bank account or a local phone number, so they are not a practical option for a short visit. Shops, teahouses, buses, taxis and market stalls are cash only.
ATMs are common in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bhaktapur, Patan and Lumbini, and thin everywhere else. Most dispense NPR 500 and 1,000 notes. Machines run out of cash, go offline during power cuts and strikes, and can be out of service for days in remote districts. Withdraw more than you think you need before heading to a trailhead, and split the money between two places on your body.
Card skimming at street ATMs is a known problem. Use machines attached to a bank branch during opening hours, cover the keypad, and check the card slot for anything loose or bulky. If a machine eats your card, the branch staff can usually help during business hours; outside those hours, you wait.
Foreign cards are sometimes declined without explanation. Carry two cards from different networks, plus a backup of cash in US dollars or euros that you can change at a bank or licensed money changer. Keep the exchange receipts: they help if you need to convert leftover rupees back at the airport.
| Situation | What works | Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu or Pokhara hotel | Visa/Mastercard, NPR cash | Small hotels add a card surcharge (check) |
| Trekking agency or permit office | Card or bank transfer | Permits often need cash at the counter |
| Teahouse on trek | NPR cash only | No ATMs above the road head |
| Taxi, bus, rickshaw | NPR cash | Apps fix the fare; drivers rarely take cards |
| Street ATM | Debit card | Skimming risk; use bank-branch machines |
| Airport money changer | Cash, card | Rates are worse than in town (check) |
Tips
- Tell your bank you are travelling to Nepal; blocks on first use are common.
- Withdraw in larger amounts less often: the per-withdrawal fee hurts more than the rate.
- Keep NPR 2,000–3,000 in small notes for taxis, tips and tea stops.
- Photograph your card fronts and the bank's lost-card number, and store it offline.
- On treks, budget NPR 3,000–5,000 a day for food, lodging and charging, more for beer or hot showers (check).
- If a terminal offers to charge you in USD or your home currency, refuse and pick NPR.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Are credit cards widely accepted in Nepal?
No. They work at hotels, trekking agencies, airlines and upmarket restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Shops, teahouses, taxis and most places outside the cities are cash only, so carry rupees for two to three days at a time.
Which ATMs have the lowest fees in Nepal?
Fees change and vary by bank, so check the screen before confirming. Withdrawing a larger amount less often usually costs less than several small withdrawals, and your own bank's foreign-transaction fee often outweighs the local one.
Should I pay in local currency or my own?
Always choose Nepali rupees. If a card terminal or ATM offers to convert to your home currency, decline it: the conversion rate is set by the machine and is usually worse than your bank's.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialNepal Rastra Bank (central bank)
- officialNepal Tourism Board
- secondaryWikivoyage – Nepal