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 $204 per month in Bhutan vs $392 in Pakistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $314 per month in Bhutan vs $591 in Pakistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $424 per month in Bhutan vs $790 in Pakistan, rent included.

Bhutan is roughly 48% cheaper than 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

$2.95 BTN 249

$1.82 PKR 506

62.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.23 BTN 1,454

$12.25 PKR 3,409

40.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 BTN 290

$4.27 PKR 1,188

-19.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 PKR 1,136

Cappuccino

$1.45 BTN 123

$1.77 PKR 493

-18.08%

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

$0.48 BTN 40.47

$0.34 PKR 93.3

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 BTN 13.43

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BTN 252

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 BTN 195

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 BTN 73.5

$0.77 PKR 214

12.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 BTN 71.8

$0.56 PKR 155

51.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 BTN 56.9

$1.22 PKR 340

-45.08%

Eggs

$1.96 BTN 165

$1.21 PKR 337

61.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.18 BTN 269

$5.68 PKR 1,579

-44.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 BTN 309

$3.00 PKR 835

22.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 BTN 357

$4.29 PKR 1,193

-1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 BTN 234

$1.02 PKR 284

171.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 BTN 148

$0.62 PKR 174

182.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 BTN 179

$0.77 PKR 213

175.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 BTN 78.0

$0.49 PKR 138

87.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 BTN 43.33

$0.35 PKR 98.2

45.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 BTN 60.0

$0.48 PKR 134

47.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 BTN 33.57

$0.38 PKR 106

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 BTN 34.50

$0.36 PKR 99.7

13.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.91 PKR 532

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 PKR 304

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 PKR 557

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 BTN 321

$1.96 PKR 546

93.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.25 BTN 274

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BTN 62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 BTN 100

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 BTN 168

$0.15 PKR 42.98

1226.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.10 BTN 347

$7.14 PKR 1,987

-42.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 BTN 76.4

$0.85 PKR 237

7.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 BTN 191

$0.51 PKR 143

343.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.15 BTN 12.69

$1.81 PKR 503

-91.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 BTN 80.3

$0.90 PKR 249

5.56%

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

$19.3K BTN 1.6M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

10.85%

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

$24.7K BTN 2.1M

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

2.80%

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

$22.67 BTN 1,914

$110 PKR 30.7K

-79.44%

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

$37.55 BTN 3,170

$4.72 PKR 1,313

695.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.97 BTN 1,939

$15.34 PKR 4,268

49.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.34 BTN 4,081

$13.40 PKR 3,728

260.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.29 BTN 531

$8.53 PKR 2,374

-26.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 BTN 298

$4.31 PKR 1,199

-18.10%

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

$242 BTN 20.4K

$38.86 PKR 10.8K

522.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$680 BTN 57.4K

$1,143 PKR 318.1K

-40.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 BTN 1,713

$15.81 PKR 4,398

28.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.58 BTN 978

$23.47 PKR 6,529

-50.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.51 BTN 4,095

$72.0 PKR 20.0K

-32.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.46 BTN 3,331

$33.27 PKR 9,255

18.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 BTN 8,854

$111 PKR 30.9K

-5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.9 BTN 5,815

$67.3 PKR 18.7K

2.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$176 BTN 14.9K

$272 PKR 75.7K

-35.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 BTN 11.9K

$167 PKR 46.5K

-15.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,532 BTN 466.9K

$983 PKR 273.4K

462.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,689 BTN 142.5K

$519 PKR 144.4K

225.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 BTN 35.7K

$185 PKR 51.5K

128.54%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $85.0 in Bhutan vs $78.0 in Pakistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $118 in Thimphu and $198 in Islamabad.

Average salary: $393 in Bhutan vs $187 in Pakistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 9% higher in Bhutan.

Dining out costs 175% more in Pakistan.

Public transport is 600% more expensive in Pakistan.

Salaries are 110% higher in Bhutan, 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 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.