Budget travel in Nepal deserves its own post because the permit system and trekking infrastructure are unlike anywhere else.

The base costs: Kathmandu is genuinely cheap. A good guesthouse room in Thamel (the tourist district) runs $8-15/night. Street food and local restaurants are $2-4 per meal. The city itself can be done on $25-30/day comfortably.

The permit structure for trekking: the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) costs $30. The TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System) card costs $20. The Annapurna Circuit is fully accessible with just these two permits. Some routes require additional permits — the Restricted Area Permits for Mustang, Dolpo, etc., run $50-100/day and require a licensed guide.

For Everest Base Camp: the EBC trek requires Sagarmatha National Park entry ($30) and TIMS ($20). No other special permits. The costs are accommodation and food along the trail — teahouse meals run $4-8 and accommodation in teahouses is $3-8/night (often cheaper or free if you eat at the teahouse).

Altitude and pace: altitude sickness is real and the budget implication is that you cannot rush. Spending extra days acclimatizing in Namche Bazaar or Dingboche saves you the cost of evacuation or descent to recover. The cheap budget decision is the slow one.

Seasons: October and November are peak trekking season (dry, clear views) and prices are highest. March and April are also good. December-February and monsoon season (June-August) are cheaper and riskier.