The ledger
What New Zealand costs, from Kathmandu
Before you fly
2.9 lakh
Tests, papers, fees, the flight and our charges. Spent whether or not the visa is granted.
Must be in the bank
21.8 lakh
NZD 20,000 a year of living costs, plus tuition, evidenced.
Everything, year one
49.5 lakh
Both of the above plus tuition, living costs and health cover for twelve months.
Converted at NPR 109.10 per AUD, Nepal Rastra Bank’s selling rate published 2026-09-07. The bank could not be reached today, so this rate may be old.
Before you fly
What leaves the house first
None of it comes back if the visa is refused. That is the honest reason to be sure about the application before making it, rather than after.
IELTS. PTE is a little less.
Paid to MoEST through ConnectIPS, eSewa or Khalti. Three to seven working days.
AUD 850 · The published fee is "from NZD 850"; the exact amount depends on where the application is made.
One way, economy, booked about a month ahead.
On signing the service agreement
Before lodgement
The first year there
Once you have landed
Tuition is a genuine range, not a hedge. Which end you land on is decided by the institution, and that decision is worth more than anything else on this page.
AUD 22,000 · Figures held in NZD. Converted at the AUD rate until NRB quotes NZD.
AUD 40,000
AUD 20,000 · Immigration New Zealand funds requirement, NZD per year.
AUD 700 · Compulsory travel and health insurance.
The number that actually decides it
NPR 21,82,000
NZD 20,000 a year of living costs, plus tuition, evidenced.
Families often assume this is money they need on top of everything else. Usually it is not: it is the same money, shown before it is spent. What matters is that it is provably yours, in an account, on the day it is asked for.
Before you commit any of it
New Zealand publishes no refusal rate. The reality check will tell you how ready your file looks against what it actually asks for.
Other destinations