Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhutan and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Bhutan: $507 a month against $906 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Bhutan
Learn more

Bhutan Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$507

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Bhutan is 31.6% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 44% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Bhutan is 32% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 43% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.64 BTN 256

$2.13 ฿71.4

23.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.28 BTN 1,384

$19.40 ฿649

-26.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 BTN 468

$5.47 ฿183

-11.70%

Cappuccino

$1.32 BTN 128

$1.68 ฿56.4

-21.43%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 BTN 46.66

$0.66 ฿22.10

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 BTN 15.47

$0.34 ฿11.52

-52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 BTN 248

$2.42 ฿81.0

5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 BTN 154

$3.73 ฿125

-57.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 BTN 75.0

$2.06 ฿68.9

-62.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 BTN 75.6

$1.46 ฿48.78

-46.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 BTN 97.5

$1.35 ฿45.09

-25.19%

Eggs

$1.59 BTN 154

$2.27 ฿76.0

-29.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.32 BTN 321

$16.31 ฿546

-79.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 BTN 355

$2.70 ฿90.3

35.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.78 BTN 366

$9.20 ฿308

-58.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 BTN 236

$2.39 ฿80.1

1.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 BTN 152

$1.04 ฿34.66

50.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 BTN 155

$1.60 ฿53.7

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 BTN 87.6

$1.44 ฿48.37

-37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 BTN 56.9

$1.30 ฿43.59

-54.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 BTN 64.1

$1.11 ฿37.29

-40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 BTN 65.5

$0.70 ฿23.55

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 BTN 31.33

$0.51 ฿16.99

-37.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BTN 369

$4.13 ฿138

-7.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.90 BTN 281

$17.78 ฿595

-83.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BTN 75.9

$1.63 ฿54.7

-52.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 BTN 106

$2.87 ฿96.0

-61.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 BTN 76.6

$0.86 ฿28.76

-8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.14 BTN 498

$53.2 ฿1,780

-90.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 BTN 74.1

$1.22 ฿40.81

-36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 BTN 153

$0.56 ฿18.81

182.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.15 BTN 14.39

$2.31 ฿77.5

-93.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 BTN 73.8

$1.50 ฿50.2

-49.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$16.9K BTN 1.6M

$20.9K ฿698.3K

-18.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$14.9K BTN 1.4M

$26.7K ฿895.0K

-44.10%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$33.53 BTN 3,248

$61.3 ฿2,051

-45.27%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.48 BTN 3,438

$12.50 ฿419

183.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.84 BTN 2,310

$20.36 ฿682

17.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.09 BTN 4,562

$37.94 ฿1,270

24.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 BTN 568

$3.77 ฿126

55.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 BTN 294

$6.60 ฿221

-54.09%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$44.58 BTN 4,319

$774 ฿25.9K

-94.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$565 BTN 54.8K

$14.4K ฿483.2K

-96.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.64 BTN 3,453

$54.8 ฿1,835

-34.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.93 BTN 1,737

$25.26 ฿846

-29.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.5 BTN 5,373

$90.6 ฿3,032

-38.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.57 BTN 2,477

$73.3 ฿2,453

-65.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$121 BTN 11.7K

$459 ฿15.4K

-73.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.7 BTN 8,207

$294 ฿9,835

-71.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$176 BTN 17.0K

$919 ฿30.8K

-80.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 BTN 14.3K

$552 ฿18.5K

-73.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,522 BTN 534.9K

$1,917 ฿64.2K

187.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,650 BTN 159.8K

$1,445 ฿48.4K

14.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 BTN 30.3K

$592 ฿19.8K

-47.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bhutan: October 3, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Bhutan

$120 24%

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6% 97.4% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bhutan

$93 18.7%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 1.4% $1.3

Accommodation & Living

Bhutan

$85 17%

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8% 247% $209

Eating Out

Bhutan

$70 14.1%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4% 10.4% $7.3

Clothing & Footwear

Bhutan

$61 12.2%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9% 81.2% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Bhutan

$53 10.7%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 3.8% $2

Getting Around

Bhutan

$17 3.4%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 257% $44

Good to know

🇧🇹 Bhutan

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

16:47 4:47 PM

17:47 5:47 PM

1 h ahead of Bhutan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

787,424

127,240

💱 Currency

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BTN = 10.32 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.21 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BTN – Bhutanese Ngultrum Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇹 Bhutanese Ngultrum (Nu.)

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.88 BTN (100 BTN = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.21 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

USD to BTN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bhutan Chiang Mai 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bhutan
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bhutan vs other spots: cost of living compared

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhutan and Chiang Mai

THB, USD, EUR to BTN – Bhutanese Ngultrum Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Bhutan

Chiang Mai

Bhutan

Chiang Mai

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