Most offices in Nepal still have a didi or dai who makes chiya for the team. It feels cheap, but once you add up salary, SSF, Dashain allowance, milk, gas and wastage, the numbers look very different. Here’s the real cost comparison, using 2082/83 prices.
The short answer
For a 25-person office, tea made by office staff costs about Rs 45,000 a month. A tea vending machine costs about Rs 18,500 a month. That’s a saving of roughly Rs 27,000 a month, or about Rs 3.2 lakh a year.
Our assumptions
- 25 employees, 2 cups each per day
- 26 working days a month, so about 1,300 cups a month
- Kathmandu prices as of Asoj 2083
What office tea staff really costs
The minimum wage in Nepal has been Rs 19,550 a month since Shrawan 1, 2082 (basic Rs 12,170 plus Rs 7,380 dearness allowance). A tea helper in Kathmandu typically earns around Rs 20,000. On top of the salary, the employer must pay:
- SSF contribution: 20% of basic salary, about Rs 2,500 a month
- Dashain allowance: one month’s basic salary a year, about Rs 1,050 a month
Then there are the ingredients for each cup of fresh milk tea:
- Milk: about 100 ml per cup at Rs 100 a litre (DDC), so Rs 10
- Tea leaves and sugar: about Rs 3
- LPG gas: about Rs 1.50 (cylinder at Rs 2,060)
- Wastage: about 15% extra for over-boiled, spilled or leftover tea
That works out to about Rs 16.70 per cup in ingredients, or Rs 21,700 a month. Total: about Rs 45,300 a month, or Rs 35 per cup.
What a tea vending machine costs
- Machine rent: from Rs 1,300 a month, with free installation and maintenance
- Electricity: about 1 unit a day (26 units a month) at Rs 13 a unit, so about Rs 340
- Premix: about Rs 13 a cup, so Rs 16,900 a month
Total: about Rs 18,500 a month, or Rs 14 per cup.
Side-by-side comparison
| Cost item (per month) | Office tea staff | Vending machine |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | Rs 20,000 | – |
| Employer SSF (20% of basic) | Rs 2,500 | – |
| Dashain allowance (monthly share) | Rs 1,050 | – |
| Machine rent | – | Rs 1,300 |
| Electricity | – | Rs 340 |
| Ingredients / premix | Rs 21,700 | Rs 16,900 |
| Total | Rs 45,300 | Rs 18,500 |
| Cost per cup | Rs 35 | Rs 14 |
How the savings change with office size
| Office size | Tea staff (per month) | Vending machine (per month) | Yearly saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 people | Rs 32,200 | Rs 8,400 | about Rs 2.9 lakh |
| 25 people | Rs 45,300 | Rs 18,500 | about Rs 3.2 lakh |
| 50 people | Rs 67,000 | Rs 35,400 | about Rs 3.8 lakh |
Smaller offices save the most per cup, because the salary is a fixed cost whether 20 or 100 cups are made each day.
The hidden costs you don’t see on paper
- No tea on leave days: when the tea staff is sick or away for Dashain and Tihar, the office goes without.
- Lost work time: staff waiting for tea, or stepping out to a nearby tea shop, adds up to hours every week.
- Inconsistent taste: too sweet one day, too strong the next.
- Spoiled milk and gas safety: storing milk and handling LPG cylinders in the office both carry risk.
A vending machine serves hot tea or coffee in seconds, all day, with the same taste every time.
When office tea staff still makes sense
If your office helper also cleans, runs errands or handles the front desk, you won’t save the full salary. In that case, compare only the time they spend making tea. Even then, a vending machine frees them up for other work.
If your team strongly prefers freshly boiled chiya, try a machine for a few weeks first. Many teams are surprised by how good a masala or cardamom premix tastes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tea vending machine cost in Nepal?
You can rent one from Nepal Vending from Rs 1,300 a month, with installation and maintenance included. Purchase prices depend on the model and the number of drink options.
How much electricity does a tea vending machine use?
A typical office machine uses about 1 unit a day, or roughly Rs 340 a month at commercial rates.
Can a vending machine make milk tea?
Yes. Tea premixes already contain milk and sugar, and come in masala, cardamom and lemon flavours. Machines can also serve coffee and hot water.
What if the machine breaks down?
Rented machines come with free maintenance and servicing, and our team supports you by phone.
Get a cost estimate for your office
Tell us how many people are in your office and we’ll show you exactly how much you can save. Call 9862218700 or contact us here.
Figures used: minimum wage from the Government of Nepal notice effective Shrawan 1, 2082; milk at DDC’s retail price; LPG at Rs 2,060 per cylinder; commercial electricity at Rs 13 per unit (NEA). Premix and electricity costs vary by model and usage.
