Living Expenses
Living Expenses
To help students calculate their financial needs, the table below shows estimated costs for the academic year 2025-2026 in US dollars. This allows for a simple-to-average, but not luxurious standard of living.
Additional Cost in US$
| Study visa fee (US$30/month) | $440 (Sept – Sept, 1 year) |
| Books and supplies | $300 (Sept – April) |
| Room and board**(US$560/month) | $5,040 (Aug – April, 9 months) |
| Optional field trips | $150 |
| TOTAL | $5,930 |
Many students decide to augment language study with one-on-one conversation classes with a Tibetan or Nepalese tutor. Typical costs are NPR 800-1000 (US$8-$10) per hour. A more qualified language instructor may charge more up to NPR 1000-1500 (US$10-$15). Online tutoring might be more costly.
**Room and board costs are estimated for simple-to-average living in Nepal. Apartment rental costs will vary depending on location and size. According to the 2025 RYI market survey, the cost of living (rent, electricity, and food) in Boudha starts at a minimum of NPR. 40,000+ on average. A shared apartment may cost around NPR. NPR 20,000+ per person. Smaller, simple apartments start around US$220 to $330 per month but can be as expensive as US$475 to $820 or more per month for large/ upmarket apartments. Prices also depend on whether the apartment is unfurnished, semi-furnished, or fully furnished. Usually, fully furnished apartments come with all amenities included in the monthly cost, however, unfurnished apartments may not include electricity, Wi-Fi, water and extra bills. Discounts for longer stays can be negotiated. Another option is to rent a studio room/apartment in a guest house that may cost between US$250 to US$365 per month. Guest house apartments usually include cooking gas, internet, and electricity bills in the monthly charges. Costs increase the closer to the stupa you are.
In terms of food costs, it is cheaper to cook at home or eat at our monastery’s restaurant, the Utpala Café (US$2.50 for lunch after RYI student discount), than eating at recommended restaurants nearby (about US$3.50 for lunch). Local restaurants that do not cater to foreigners are even cheaper, but the chances of getting ill from eating at these restaurants are quite high. Another option is to eat at the Nepali thali place where the Nepali vegetarian thali set costs US$1.20 and the non-vegetarian set costs US$ 2.00.
One of the cheapest options is to live with a Tibetan or Nepalese homestay family, which usually charges about US$260 per month for a room, breakfast, and dinner. Another cheap option is to rent an apartment and share with other students, and cook at home. Generally, weekly grocery costs are about US$ 30 to $40.
