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Domain pricing confuses many first-time buyers in Nepal, mostly because the advertised price and the price you pay next year are often not the same. Here is what you are actually paying for.
The three prices every domain has
| Price | What it means |
|---|---|
| Registration | The first-year cost to claim a brand-new domain. |
| Renewal | The yearly cost to keep it. This is the number that matters long term. |
| Transfer | The cost to move an existing domain to a new registrar — usually adding a year to the term. |
The most common mistake is judging a registrar on the first-year price alone. A heavily discounted first year can renew at several times that figure. Always check the renewal price before buying.
Roughly what to expect
Registry prices move over time, so treat these as general bands rather than fixed figures:
- .com / .net / .org — the mainstream choices, and the best value for most businesses.
- .shop / .store / .online / .xyz — often cheap in year one; check the renewal carefully.
- .io / .co — popular with startups and priced noticeably higher.
- .ai — the most expensive mainstream extension by some distance.
For live figures in Nepali Rupees, see the pricing table on our domain registration page — it converts automatically to your currency.
What about .com.np?
Nepal's national .com.np is issued free by the country registry, but it requires an application with supporting documents and manual approval rather than instant registration. It is a strong option for organisations serving Nepal only. The full process is in our .com.np guide.
Hidden costs to check before you buy
- WHOIS privacy. Some registrars charge yearly for it. It should be free — it simply hides your name, phone and address from public WHOIS.
- DNS management. Charging extra to edit your own DNS records is not reasonable; it should be included.
- Transfer-out fees. A registrar should never charge you to leave.
- Renewal jumps. The single biggest cost surprise. Check year two before committing.
- Currency conversion. If billed in USD, your bank may add a conversion margin on top.
Paying from Nepal
Not every international registrar accepts Nepali payment methods, which is a common frustration. With Goji you can pay in NPR using Khalti or Fonepay, or an international card — see our step-by-step payment guide.
How to choose without overspending
- Prefer .com unless you have a specific reason not to.
- Compare renewal, not registration.
- Buy only what you need. Defensively registering many extensions rarely pays off for a small business.
- Start with one year unless you are certain — you can extend later.
- Turn on auto-renewal. Losing a domain you have built traffic on costs far more than any renewal fee.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest domain in Nepal?
Extensions like .xyz or .online are usually cheapest in year one, but a .com is generally better value over several years once renewals are compared.
Do I need a company to buy a domain in Nepal?
No. Global extensions such as .com, .net and .org have no residency or documentation requirement — an email address and a payment method are enough.
Does a domain include hosting?
No. A domain is the address; hosting is where the site lives. They are billed separately, though a domain includes DNS so you can point it anywhere.
What happens if I do not renew?
It expires and eventually returns to the market after grace and redemption periods, during which recovery gets progressively more expensive. Auto-renewal avoids this entirely.