Nepal

Southern Asia

Asia

A low-cost Asian country with low university tuition, but a weak passport, a long 15-year naturalisation wait and no dual citizenship.

Overall score

Moderate · 93% data coverage

Language

Nepali

Currency

NPR

Citizenship

15 years

Personal tax

Progressive, up to 39%

Cost of living

$650 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

41Residence12%

16Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

32Salary and work12%

71Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

52Taxes7%

42Business8%

53Investment5%

Daily life

25%

54Quality of life18%

47Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

63Freedom6%

38Rule of law7%

Pros

Low university tuition

Cons

A weak passport
A long 15-year naturalisation wait
No dual citizenship

Best for

Students

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Limited

Migrant stock1.6% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality-0.55 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Low

Years required	15 years
Dual allowed	No
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 15 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Low

38 / 198

Mobility

#102

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free12
On arrival23
eTA3
Visa required160

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Limited

Output per worker$20,041 PPP (2024)

Unemployment10.5% (2025)

Participation39.2% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees

Overall$146 · $501 PPP (2017)

Tech (IT & comms)$144 · $494 PPP (2017)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$6,250 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$4,716 PPP (2024)

Price level26 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality30.0 Gini (2022)

Inflation2.7% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Excellent

Price level26 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$650 / mo (single)
Cities	Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lalitpur

Economy

Economic strength

Moderate

Output & income

GDP$45.5B (2025)

GDP / person$1,536 (2025)

GNI / person$6,250 PPP (2025)

GDP growth3.7% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation2.7% / yr (2025)

Unemployment10.5% (2025)

Output per worker$20,041 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture21.6% of GDP (2025)

Industry12.1% of GDP (2025)

Services54.4% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

TourismAgricultureHydropowerTextiles & carpetsRemittance-fed services

Top exports

Carpets & textilesTea & spicesHandicrafts

Type	Lower-middle-income, remittance- and tourism-led
Key sectors	Himalayan tourism, Agriculture, Hydropower potential
Summary	A landlocked Himalayan economy heavily dependent on remittances, agriculture and trekking tourism.
Currency	Nepalese rupee (pegged to the Indian rupee)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Personal	Progressive, up to 39%
Corporate	Generally 25%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Low

Personal	Progressive, up to 39%
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Low

Corporate	Generally 25%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Limited

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality-0.55 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness-0.88 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Moderate

Private credit91% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Limited

Business

Limited

Investment

Moderate

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Cost of living

Excellent

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Good

Personal safety

Homicide rate2.1 per 100,000 (2020)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.63 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability-0.41 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Limited

Outcomes

Life expectancy70.6 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality25.1 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians1.01 per 1,000 (2023)

Hospital beds0.54 per 1,000 (2023)

Health spending$332 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Limited

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure53.2 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress8.3% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Moderate

Digital infrastructure

Internet use46.3% (2024)

Internet resilience47 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed72 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed42 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access94.0% (2023)

Grid losses14.4% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality2.19 / 5 (2018)

Air connectivity2,279 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Moderate

Attainment

Expected schooling13.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling4.5 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment21% gross (2024)

Education spending3.7% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	$2,000-8,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Nepali
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Moderate

HDI0.622 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy70.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling13.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling4.5 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025