A nitride semiconductor laser element has: a nitride semiconductor layer having cavity planes at the ends of a waveguide region, an insulating film formed on an upper face of the nitride semiconductor layer so that the ends on the cavity plane side are isolated from cavity planes, and a first film formed from the cavity plane to the upper face of the nitride semiconductor layer, and covered part of the insulating film surface, the first film has a first region that is in contact with the nitride semiconductor and a second region that is in contact with the insulating film, and is formed from AlxGa1-xN (0