Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhutan and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhutan and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $202 per month in Bhutan vs $391 in Pakistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $313 per month in Bhutan vs $592 in Pakistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $424 per month in Bhutan vs $792 in Pakistan, rent included.

The cost of living in Bhutan is roughly 48% lower than in Pakistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Bhutan and Pakistan are more affordable than the global median – Bhutan 85% lower, Pakistan 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 BTN 242

$1.81 PKR 502

58.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.49 BTN 1,477

$12.15 PKR 3,370

43.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 BTN 288

$4.29 PKR 1,189

-20.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PKR 1,105

Cappuccino

$1.41 BTN 119

$1.74 PKR 482

-18.97%

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

$0.48 BTN 40.11

$0.36 PKR 100

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 14.34

$0.21 PKR 58.2

-19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 BTN 245

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 BTN 198

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 BTN 72.4

$0.78 PKR 215

10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 BTN 68.5

$0.56 PKR 154

44.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 BTN 56.6

$1.21 PKR 337

-44.63%

Eggs

$1.96 BTN 165

$1.20 PKR 334

63.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.19 BTN 269

$5.69 PKR 1,577

-43.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 BTN 304

$2.84 PKR 788

26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 BTN 362

$4.09 PKR 1,133

4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 BTN 238

$1.00 PKR 278

182.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BTN 142

$0.61 PKR 170

175.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 BTN 182

$0.76 PKR 211

182.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 BTN 76.0

$0.52 PKR 145

73.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 BTN 46.40

$0.38 PKR 106

44.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 BTN 56.4

$0.51 PKR 143

31.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 BTN 32.97

$0.38 PKR 106

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 BTN 34.37

$0.36 PKR 98.7

13.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 558

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 304

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 578

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 BTN 325

$1.96 PKR 544

95.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.05 BTN 258

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BTN 63.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 BTN 96.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 BTN 176

$0.20 PKR 56.1

940.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.92 BTN 331

$7.24 PKR 2,008

-45.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 BTN 71.9

$0.84 PKR 232

1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 BTN 193

$0.52 PKR 145

340.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.15 BTN 12.64

$1.79 PKR 496

-91.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 BTN 80.8

$0.89 PKR 248

7.87%

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

$19.3K BTN 1.6M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

8.23%

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

$24.8K BTN 2.1M

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

4.49%

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

$22.94 BTN 1,937

$110 PKR 30.5K

-79.13%

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

$37.07 BTN 3,129

$4.58 PKR 1,269

709.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.00 BTN 1,942

$15.58 PKR 4,320

47.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.83 BTN 4,122

$13.28 PKR 3,682

267.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.10 BTN 515

$8.84 PKR 2,453

-31.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 BTN 291

$4.13 PKR 1,147

-16.46%

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

$242 BTN 20.4K

$39.62 PKR 11.0K

510.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$665 BTN 56.1K

$1,170 PKR 324.5K

-43.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.30 BTN 1,714

$15.59 PKR 4,324

30.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.71 BTN 988

$23.77 PKR 6,593

-50.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.46 BTN 4,091

$71.9 PKR 19.9K

-32.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.75 BTN 3,271

$32.15 PKR 8,916

20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 BTN 8,725

$115 PKR 31.9K

-10.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.9 BTN 5,729

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

2.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 BTN 14.6K

$274 PKR 76.1K

-36.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 BTN 11.5K

$163 PKR 45.1K

-16.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,481 BTN 462.7K

$965 PKR 267.7K

467.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,689 BTN 142.6K

$502 PKR 139.2K

236.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$425 BTN 35.9K

$186 PKR 51.5K

128.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

18.97

-43.33%

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

Last update for Bhutan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $83.0 in Bhutan vs $78.0 in Pakistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $114 in Thimphu and $199 in Islamabad.

Average salary: $393 in Bhutan vs $181 in Pakistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 6% higher in Bhutan.

Dining out costs 175% more in Pakistan.

Public transport is 600% more expensive in Pakistan.

Salaries are 117% higher in Bhutan, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Bhutan.

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 Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bhutan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 79% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Bhutan, contributing to the overall 79% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Bhutan, but in Pakistan 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.