An exhaust gas purification catalyst, excellent in the NOx purification capacity and the HC purification capacity, includes a substrate and a catalyst coating layer formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein the catalyst coating layer comprises the upper and lower layer including a lower layer being closer to the surface of the substrate and an upper layer being relatively remote from the surface of the substrate. The upper layer of the catalyst coating layer includes Rh, Pd, and a carrier. The lower layer of the catalyst coating layer includes at least one noble metal selected from Pd and Pt and a carrier. 65% by mass or more of Pd in the upper layer exists in a layer up to 50% of the upper layer in a thickness direction from the surface of the upper layer being relatively remote from the surface of the substrate. The ratio of Pd to Rh by mass (Pd/Rh) is 0.5 to 7.0 in the upper layer.