Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhutan and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhutan and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $204 per month in Bhutan vs $712 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $314 per month in Bhutan vs $1,132 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $424 per month in Bhutan vs $1,551 in China, rent included.

Bhutan is roughly 71% cheaper than China on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Bhutan and China are more affordable than the global median – Bhutan 85% lower, China 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.95 BTN 249

$2.81 ¥18.98

4.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.23 BTN 1,454

$23.30 ¥158

-26.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 BTN 290

$5.01 ¥33.87

-31.34%

Cappuccino

$1.45 BTN 123

$3.01 ¥20.38

-51.83%

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

$0.48 BTN 40.47

$0.45 ¥3.03

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 BTN 13.43

$0.29 ¥1.97

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BTN 252

$0.95 ¥6.41

213.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 BTN 195

$2.05 ¥13.87

12.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 BTN 73.5

$1.76 ¥11.87

-50.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 BTN 71.8

$1.62 ¥10.98

-47.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 BTN 56.9

$0.95 ¥6.45

-29.47%

Eggs

$1.96 BTN 165

$1.56 ¥10.55

25.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.18 BTN 269

$13.06 ¥88.3

-75.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 BTN 309

$3.28 ¥22.17

11.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 BTN 357

$10.65 ¥72.0

-60.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 BTN 234

$1.78 ¥12.03

55.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 BTN 148

$1.24 ¥8.42

41.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 BTN 179

$1.50 ¥10.12

41.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 BTN 78.0

$1.15 ¥7.79

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 BTN 43.33

$0.75 ¥5.07

-32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 BTN 60.0

$0.86 ¥5.81

-17.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 BTN 33.57

$0.62 ¥4.17

-35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 BTN 34.50

$0.56 ¥3.81

-26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 BTN 321

$3.51 ¥23.76

8.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.25 BTN 274

$11.66 ¥78.9

-72.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BTN 62.5

$0.80 ¥5.40

-7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 BTN 100

$1.66 ¥11.25

-28.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 BTN 168

$0.43 ¥2.93

362.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.10 BTN 347

$20.86 ¥141

-80.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 BTN 76.4

$1.37 ¥9.26

-33.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 BTN 191

$0.35 ¥2.38

545.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.15 BTN 12.69

$6.63 ¥44.82

-97.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 BTN 80.3

$1.14 ¥7.69

-16.67%

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

$19.3K BTN 1.6M

$19.2K ¥129.7K

0.74%

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

$24.7K BTN 2.1M

$16.8K ¥113.4K

47.16%

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

$22.67 BTN 1,914

$51.2 ¥346

-55.70%

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

$37.55 BTN 3,170

$10.16 ¥68.7

269.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.97 BTN 1,939

$11.51 ¥77.9

99.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.34 BTN 4,081

$40.53 ¥274

19.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.29 BTN 531

$15.05 ¥102

-58.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 BTN 298

$6.10 ¥41.26

-42.13%

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

$242 BTN 20.4K

$402 ¥2,719

-39.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$680 BTN 57.4K

$17.7K ¥119.5K

-96.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 BTN 1,713

$45.57 ¥308

-55.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.58 BTN 978

$33.26 ¥225

-65.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.51 BTN 4,095

$72.6 ¥491

-33.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.46 BTN 3,331

$74.5 ¥503

-47.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 BTN 8,854

$429 ¥2,903

-75.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.9 BTN 5,815

$257 ¥1,739

-73.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$176 BTN 14.9K

$895 ¥6,055

-80.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 BTN 11.9K

$541 ¥3,660

-74.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,532 BTN 466.9K

$5,015 ¥33.9K

10.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,689 BTN 142.5K

$2,469 ¥16.7K

-31.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 BTN 35.7K

$1,055 ¥7,132

-59.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

4.06

164.78%

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

Last update for Bhutan: May 30, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $85.0 in Bhutan vs $286 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $118 in Thimphu and $916 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $393 in Bhutan vs $861 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 236% higher in China.

Dining out costs 425% more in China.

Public transport is 1700% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 119% higher in China, giving Bhutan stronger purchasing power.

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 China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bhutan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 280% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in China, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but China consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Bhutan, contributing to the overall 280% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Bhutan, but in China it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Bhutan is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.