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 $176 per month in Bhutan vs $450 in Pakistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $284 per month in Bhutan vs $678 in Pakistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $391 per month in Bhutan vs $905 in Pakistan, rent included.

The cost of living in Bhutan is roughly 61% 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 87% lower, Pakistan 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 BTN 222

$2.10 PKR 581

25.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.18 BTN 1,197

$14.51 PKR 4,021

-2.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.61 BTN 305

$5.53 PKR 1,533

-34.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 PKR 594

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 PKR 1,120

Cappuccino

$1.34 BTN 113

$2.04 PKR 564

-34.31%

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

$0.53 BTN 44.87

$0.38 PKR 105

39.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 BTN 15.36

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BTN 227

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 BTN 174

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 BTN 72.0

$0.85 PKR 235

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 BTN 71.8

$0.63 PKR 174

34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 BTN 83.0

$1.22 PKR 339

-19.67%

Eggs

$1.61 BTN 136

$1.22 PKR 337

31.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.40 BTN 287

$5.79 PKR 1,603

-41.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 BTN 333

$2.90 PKR 803

35.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.75 BTN 316

$5.08 PKR 1,407

-26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 BTN 210

$1.13 PKR 313

120.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 BTN 135

$0.69 PKR 191

131.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 BTN 136

$0.84 PKR 232

91.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 BTN 78.4

$0.57 PKR 159

63.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 BTN 46.60

$0.34 PKR 95.0

61.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 BTN 62.0

$0.42 PKR 116

73.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 BTN 53.9

$0.34 PKR 95.1

88.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 28.29

$0.41 PKR 113

-17.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.04 PKR 566

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 299

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 644

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 BTN 329

$2.14 PKR 594

82.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.89 BTN 244

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BTN 67.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 BTN 94.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 BTN 69.1

$0.18 PKR 48.48

355.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.17 BTN 436

$9.87 PKR 2,736

-47.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 BTN 68.3

$0.91 PKR 252

-10.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 BTN 135

$0.52 PKR 144

207.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.15 BTN 12.95

$2.17 PKR 601

-93.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 BTN 66.2

$1.22 PKR 337

-36.07%

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

$18.3K PKR 5.1M

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

$15.1K BTN 1.3M

$25.4K PKR 7.0M

-40.63%

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

$34.89 BTN 2,945

$108 PKR 30.0K

-67.79%

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

$36.96 BTN 3,120

$5.35 PKR 1,481

590.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.70 BTN 2,085

$15.67 PKR 4,340

57.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.04 BTN 3,971

$15.93 PKR 4,412

195.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 BTN 504

$10.70 PKR 2,964

-44.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 BTN 264

$4.41 PKR 1,222

-29.02%

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

$42.68 PKR 11.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$584 BTN 49.3K

$1,343 PKR 372.0K

-56.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 BTN 1,821

$15.94 PKR 4,417

35.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.47 BTN 884

$23.78 PKR 6,589

-55.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.3 BTN 4,752

$78.7 PKR 21.8K

-28.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.84 BTN 2,182

$33.79 PKR 9,361

-23.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 BTN 10.4K

$134 PKR 37.1K

-8.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.6 BTN 7,478

$77.9 PKR 21.6K

13.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 BTN 15.1K

$309 PKR 85.5K

-41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 BTN 12.8K

$172 PKR 47.7K

-12.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,486 BTN 463.1K

$1,017 PKR 281.8K

439.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,690 BTN 142.7K

$522 PKR 144.5K

224.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$328 BTN 27.7K

$185 PKR 51.2K

77.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.96

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

Last update for Bhutan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $85.0 in Bhutan vs $122 in Pakistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $131 in Thimphu and $270 in Islamabad.

Average salary: $301 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 44% higher in Pakistan.

Dining out costs 333% more in Pakistan.

Public transport is 800% more expensive in Pakistan.

Salaries are 66% 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 81% 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 81% 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.