Digital Nomads are taking the world by force. Who would blame them? Freelancing from a beautiful beach – coconut cocktail in hand, gorging on cheap street food after a day of hard work or meeting a client in the garden of your Bali villa. Now workers are not necessarily bound to offices, cities, and desks; the Digital Nomad or Laptop lifestyle has gained popularity. However, when researching digital nomads online, it stood out that Nepal was never really mentioned as a possible destination. Why? Probably because of some pre-and misconceptions people might have about the country and its cities. Let me explain why Nepal should be your next Digital Nomad stop!
- One of the most important things you need to look out for as a digital nomad is a quick and reliable internet. Nepal has both – especially when staying in the big cities. When my husband and I lived in Dubai, we paid a fortune for the internet (we are both gamers). I can honestly say that our current internet connection through Worldlink is better than the one we had in Dubai. We are currently getting between 50, and 70 MBPS download and between 30MBPS and 50 MBPS upload speed. There are hardly any disruptions when it comes to the service. When something happens to your internet connection, many local cafes and restaurants offer free wifi where you can set up camp for the day.
2. Mobile data is very cheap for digital nomads.
Another reason why Nepal is a great place to be a digital nomad is that mobile data here in Nepal is very cheap. For example, Ncell, one of the biggest mobile providers in the country, sells 10GB (and you will often get 10GB for free on top!) for NPR 499, which is $4.20/£3.10. This means that as a digital nomad in Nepal, you will always be able to hotspot your devices – whether you are out on a walk, on a local rooftop café overlooking the city or on your way from Kathmandu to Pokhara.
Getting a sim card in Nepal is pretty straightforward. Sim cards are sold in the airport or at official dealerships. You will have to bring 2 passport pictures with you and leave a thumbprint on the registration form. You can then download the app connected to your provider, which will allow you to top up your account and your data or voice packs.
3. Nepal has a true café culture.
As a digital nomad in Nepal, you will be able to pack up your stuff and head to one of the many bars or cafes in the area. Nepal has an authentic cafe culture where cafés have literally sprung up out of nowhere these past few years. In fact: they are everywhere. There are cafes with beautiful rooftops, restaurants with beautiful and quirky themes… there is even a café in the courtyard of the old royal palace on Patan Durbar Square. So no matter where you go or turn in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Pokhara – there will be ample room for you to bunk down in one of the beautiful cafes these cities have to offer.
Nepal might not have Starbucks, but we do have Himalayan Java. Himalayan Java is a fabulous chain of coffee bars all over Kathmandu and Pokhara serving good coffee, cakes and food. If you don’t know where to go, there will always be a Himalayan Java within a 15-minute walk.
4. Nepal is a real foodie destination.
Did you know that Nepal is a real foodie destination? You can literally order anything in Nepal! From amazing pizzas to great thai, from Tibetan to Mexican, from delicious french food to American-style deli sandwiches. More than 10% of Nepalis live and work abroad – often in the hospitality business. In recent years many Nepali people have returned from their jobs abroad. With them, they brought lots of experience on how to cook different foods, decorate a restaurant, and design outside spaces.
I will give you an example about something as stupid as bread and pastry: we buy our bread from a man who worked in Dubai as a pastry chef. We have Herman Helmers, which offers German bread and pastries after working in Germany, a bit further down the road. And Sami’s Croissanterie, 100 meters down the road on the other side, makes the best croissants I have ever had outside of the little French village where my parents live, as Sami travelled all over Europe taking pastry classes to perfect his croissants. He sells out every single day.
Nepal is full of these stories, and I was thoroughly impressed with the food in Nepal. But there just are so many unique places to eat and drink that you won’t want to leave!
5. The weather in Nepal is excellent!
One of the most questions I got asked when my husband and I finally told our family and friends we were moving to Nepal was, ”but won’t you be cold?”. Well, no.
In fact: did you know that Nepal is on the same latitude as parts of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and even Mexico? In winter, the temperature in the Kathmandu Valley drops to about 8°C from 20°C to 23°C during the day. In Pokhara, it is always 5°C warmer than in Kathmandu and in the Terrai, temperatures range from 45°C in summer to 26°C to 30°C in winter.
The only things you need to watch in Nepal are the Monsoon season running from the end of July to the end of September. The Pollution season runs from the middle of November to the middle of January or February, depending on the temperature that year.
If you want to know more about the weather in Nepal and the best time to visit Nepal, please check out this article on the best time to visit Nepal!
6. The cost of living for digital nomads is relatively low.
Although the cost of living is not as low as in some South-East countries like Cambodia or parts of Thailand, the cost of living is still low enough for a good Digital Nomad to live in Nepal and save money for future adventures. You can find beds in hostels for as little as $5 a night, like in Big Tree Hostel or small apartments for about $24 a night.
As for food – this will depend on what you are craving. For example, in a local street food restaurant, you will pay about $2 for a large portion of MO; MO and a drink. On the other hand, if you want something fancier, you can expect to pay anything from $5 for a meal to $10 for a meal with alcohol.
Nepal is only as expensive as you want to make it!
7. There are lots of great co-working spaces for digital nomads in Kathmandu.
As a digital nomad, you will want to explore the city and maybe even become part of the city’s freelancer or digital nomad community. Although it is true that Nepal still has to build its reputation as a haven for Digital Nomads, there are lots of co-working spaces available.
You can head to Regus, a well-known giant in the co-working space business, but you can also choose to head to one of the many independent spaces. Lindu, for instance, is a space located on a rooftop in Thamel. It is perfect if you want to hang out somewhere, want to get a speck of work done, and hang out with other digital nomads or meet new people.
The sustainability lab is an off the beaten path co-working space. It brings together both local and international freelancers and NGO’s under one eco-friendly roof.
Over the river in Lalitpur, you can head to Kausimaa. Kausima is a charming cafe or The Nineties, a small co-working space near Patan, the historical part of the city.
Innovation Hive at Moovers and Shakers in Lalitpur near Pulchowk is the best co-working space in the city. This co-working space offers large and bright offices. In addition, it has fantastic panoramic views over the city, an onsite cafe and high-speed internet.
If you want to check out coworking spaces you can have a look at Coworker.com or at Coworkbooking.com
8. It's easy to connect with the local communities.
Whether you are a digital nomad that loves to connect and travel with other digital nomads or a nomad who loves to get integrated into the local community – it is straightforward to meet and befriend people of the local community. Nepali people are by far the friendliest people I have ever met, and they are thrilled to share their culture with visitors and tourists.
Teachers, expats and trailing spouses have always found it incredibly easy to make Nepali friends. This meant we have seen, eaten, and experienced things beyond what typical tourists eat or experience. Especially when you decide to head to one of the local co-working spaces, you will be making friends in no time. Nobody is ever genuinely lonely in Nepal!
9. Nepal has excellent connections with other countries for digital nomads.
You wouldn’t think it, but Nepal is very well-connected with other countries in the region. The last thing you want to have happened to you as a digital Nomad is ending up somewhere with a high cost of plane tickets and flights to only a handful of destinations. Lot’s of Nepali people head abroad for work – mainly into East Asia and the Middle East. There are many connections to the UAE with Flydubai and Air Arabia flying from Kathmandu International Airport, and of course connections with India, Thailand (Bangkok), Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Japan etc.
10. There is just so much to do and experience for digital nomads in Nepal.
Lastly, you will never ever be bored in Nepal. From heading out into the mountains to do long treks with experienced guides to flying into Pokhara to party and have a swim on one of the beautiful rooftop infinity pools overlooking the Himalayas – Nepal offers something for everyone. Those in search of a bit of jungle adventure can head to Chitwan, where they can meet elephants, rhinos and tigers. Those who would like to experience Nepali and Newari culture can stay in Kathmandu Valley to visit many of the off the beaten path medieval villages and cities such as Kirtipur and Panauti. Unless you are looking forward to a beach holiday – Nepal has everything to offer!