The Honest Guide to Digital Marketing Costs in Nepal (2026)
Every Nepali business owner has heard two prices for the same work — Rs. 10,000 from a cold call and Rs. 1 lakh+ from an agency deck — with no way to tell which is honest. This guide fixes that with published rates: our agency rate card (September 2026, valid until March 31, 2027), broken down by service, by business size, and by provider tier. All figures in Nepali rupees; 13% VAT applies to domestic clients and is shown where stated.
Companion reading: agency cost tiers explained, SEO retainer deep-dive, Google Ads management deep-dive, and website costs.
Costs by service
SEO: Rs. 25,000–50,000/month
| Package | Monthly | Setup (one-time) | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic SEO (keyword research, on-page, monthly report) | Rs. 25,000 | Rs. 15,000 | 3 months |
| Advanced SEO (+ competitor analysis, link building, Analytics setup) | Rs. 50,000 | Rs. 15,000 | 6 months |
| Custom SEO (technical, local, international, schema) | Hourly: Rs. 1,200 / 1,800 / 2,500 by complexity, scoped per project | ||
Google Ads management: Rs. 30,000–230,000/month
| Package | Management only (you fund credit) | Including ad credit |
|---|---|---|
| Basic — 2 campaigns, 70,000–100,000 impressions | Rs. 30,000 | Rs. 50,000 ($100 credit) |
| Growth — 4 campaigns, 140,000–200,000 impressions | Rs. 55,000 | Rs. 95,000 ($200 credit) |
| Premium — 8 campaigns, 350,000–500,000 impressions | Rs. 100,000 | Rs. 230,000 ($500 credit) |
Ad spend beyond bundled credit is always paid directly to Google. Management work is identical under both billing options.
Social media (Facebook + Instagram): Rs. 50,000–140,000/month
| Package | Posts/mo | Monthly | Ad credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT 1 | 3 + festive | Rs. 50,000 | $60 included |
| GT 2 | 6 + festive | Rs. 75,000 | $90 included |
| GT 3 | 15 + festive | Rs. 140,000 | $156 included |
| GT 4 (you fund & manage credit up to $200) | 15 + festive | Rs. 50,000 | Client-funded |
Content, email and supporting services
| Service | Price | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Blog Starter (4 posts, 800–1,000 words, SEO + keyword research) | Rs. 30,000 | per month (3-month min) |
| Blog Pro (8 posts + custom graphics + social sharing) | Rs. 70,000 | per month |
| Email marketing setup (platform, templates, list import, welcome series) | Rs. 20,700 | one-time (platform fees separate) |
| Email campaign (design, copy, send, report) | Rs. 6,300 | per campaign |
| WhatsApp Business setup (profile, catalogue, QR, staff guide) | Rs. 4,200 | one-time |
| Meta / LinkedIn / YT-TikTok ads management | Rs. 30,550 / 24,300 / 24,300 | per month (ad spend separate) |
| Analytics + conversion tracking setup | from Rs. 7,200 | one-time |
| Marketing audit (technical, GBP, reviews, listings + action plan) | Rs. 82,800 | one-time |
| Marketing strategy document (3–6 months) | Rs. 42,000 | one-time |
| Landing page design / A-B testing | Rs. 7,500 / Rs. 6,300 | per page / per month |
| Website copywriting | Rs. 4,500 | per page |
Costs by business size
SME starter stack: ~Rs. 75,000–105,000/month
A single-outlet restaurant, boutique or clinic buying its first serious retainer. Illustrative arithmetic from the tables above:
- GT 1 social (Rs. 50,000) or Basic SEO (Rs. 25,000) as the anchor — pick the channel your customers actually use
- Add the other in quarter two, once reporting shows which converts
- One-time first-quarter extras: SEO setup (Rs. 15,000) + tracking setup (from Rs. 7,200) + WhatsApp setup (Rs. 4,200)
- Ad spend on top, paid directly: even Rs. 15,000–30,000/month moves the needle when the landing page converts
Growth stack: ~Rs. 170,000–220,000/month
Multi-branch retail, colleges, real-estate projects, clinics with competition:
- GT 2 social (Rs. 75,000) + Growth Ads management-only (Rs. 55,000) + Basic SEO (Rs. 25,000)
- Blog Starter (Rs. 30,000) once the paid baseline is measured
- Quarterly audit line (Rs. 82,800 one-time) to reset direction twice a year
Corporate stack: Rs. 350,000+/month
Banks, hospital chains, large developers, national brands:
- Advanced SEO (Rs. 50,000) + Premium Ads management-only (Rs. 100,000) + GT 3 (Rs. 140,000) + Blog Pro (Rs. 70,000)
- Strategy document (Rs. 42,000) annually; dashboard upkeep monthly
- Dedicated reporting, SLA-backed support and quarterly business reviews — scope these in the written quote
These are worked examples, not quotes: your mix depends on margins, seasonality and what already converts. Ask for a scoped written quote — expected hours × rate, shown before work starts.
Costs by provider tier
Freelancer
Lowest cash outlay and fastest start, usually for one channel. The trade-offs, documented in our agency-cost breakdown: single-point-of-failure risk (illness, exams, overload), no design bench, and reporting that often stops at screenshots. Suitable for sub-Rs. 40,000 budgets where you can brief precisely and supervise weekly.
Boutique studio / specialist
Strong in one craft (video, SEO, performance). Price between freelancer and full-service; verify they report business metrics (leads, cost per lead) rather than vanity metrics (likes, impressions alone).
Full-service agency
Designers, ad specialists, analysts and account management under one roof, priced openly at Rs. 1,200 (simple) / 1,800 (standard) / 2,500 (complex) per hour with written quotes. You pay for continuity: the work survives any single person leaving, and tracking, creative and media live in one reporting loop. Minimum sensible budgets start around Rs. 75,000/month all-in for SMEs.
Hidden costs to budget before signing
- Ad spend paid directly to Google/Meta/TikTok unless bundled credit is itemised
- 13% VAT on domestic invoices (clients abroad paying in foreign currency pay the base price)
- Setup fees (e.g. Rs. 15,000 SEO setup) — one-time, first invoice
- Yearly website costs: hosting plus maintenance contracts (see website costs)
- Copywriting (~Rs. 4,500/page) — "content provided by client" is where projects stall for six months
- Tool and printing costs: platform fees, monitoring tools, shoot talent and print run separately
How to compare any two quotes
- Demand hours shown: expected hours × rate per task, in writing, before work starts
- Separate fee from media: management vs ad spend on different lines
- Check minimums and what happens in month one (setup, audit, tracking first — growth later)
- Ask what reporting shows: rankings and traffic and leads — never rankings alone
- Confirm who owns accounts, pixels, and ad data if you leave
Frequently asked questions
How much does digital marketing cost per month in Nepal?
Published agency rates: SEO Rs. 25,000–50,000/month, Google Ads management Rs. 30,000–100,000/month (ad spend separate), social media Rs. 50,000–140,000/month, content Rs. 30,000–70,000/month. A lean SME stack starts around Rs. 75,000/month before ad spend.
Is ad spend included in agency fees?
Usually not. Management fees cover strategy, creative and optimisation; ad spend goes to the platform. Bundled-credit packages itemise the credit (e.g. $100–$500 Google Ads), and management-only options let you fund it directly.
Freelancer or agency?
Freelancers cost less but carry single-point-of-failure risk and usually cover one channel. Agencies provide a team with continuity, priced openly at Rs. 1,200–2,500/hour with written quotes.
What hidden costs catch buyers out?
Direct ad spend, 13% VAT, one-time setup fees, yearly hosting/maintenance, and copywriting. Confirm each line before signing.