Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Thimphu Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Thimphu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $868 per month in Da Nang vs $523 in Thimphu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,419 per month in Da Nang vs $802 in Thimphu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,970 per month in Da Nang vs $1,082 in Thimphu, rent included.

Da Nang costs about 66% more than Thimphu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Da Nang and Thimphu are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 37% lower, Thimphu 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 ₫61.1K

$2.60 BTN 220

-9.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 ₫501.2K

$14.08 BTN 1,189

36.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 ₫122.5K

$3.65 BTN 308

29.04%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₫46.8K

$1.34 BTN 113

34.33%

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

$0.69 ₫18.0K

$0.53 BTN 44.35

30.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,201

$0.17 BTN 14.38

88.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₫34.0K

$2.55 BTN 216

-48.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₫59.7K

$2.16 BTN 183

6.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₫38.9K

$0.84 BTN 71.0

78.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$1.06 BTN 89.5

17.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.3K

$1.01 BTN 85.3

3.96%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.6K

$1.95 BTN 165

-22.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 ₫339.0K

$3.84 BTN 324

239.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ₫105.4K

$4.13 BTN 348

-1.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 ₫240.7K

$4.07 BTN 343

127.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ₫67.5K

$2.58 BTN 218

0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.7K

$1.52 BTN 129

-27.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₫33.5K

$1.66 BTN 140

-22.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ₫36.3K

$0.79 BTN 66.5

77.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.5K

$0.57 BTN 48.00

98.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.8K

$0.66 BTN 55.4

84.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₫26.3K

$0.36 BTN 30.69

180.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.6K

$0.31 BTN 26.37

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 ₫40.7K

$3.83 BTN 324

-59.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 ₫194.5K

$2.80 BTN 236

167.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₫21.5K

$0.64 BTN 53.7

29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₫56.6K

$1.40 BTN 118

55.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,196

$0.78 BTN 65.4

-58.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.04 ₫131.0K

$5.10 BTN 431

-1.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₫26.9K

$0.81 BTN 68.3

28.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫16.0K

$1.61 BTN 136

-61.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.13 ₫497.2K

$0.16 BTN 13.42

11856.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₫21.6K

$0.77 BTN 64.8

7.79%

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

$30.8K ₫799.4M

$16.6K BTN 1.4M

85.15%

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

$28.4K ₫737.7M

$15.4K BTN 1.3M

83.97%

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

$88.5 ₫2.3M

$35.36 BTN 2,985

150.40%

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

$6.00 ₫155.9K

$36.45 BTN 3,077

-83.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.95 ₫206.6K

$24.89 BTN 2,101

-68.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.83 ₫593.6K

$47.12 BTN 3,978

-51.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 ₫140.6K

$7.70 BTN 650

-29.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 ₫81.3K

$3.13 BTN 264

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

$163 ₫4.2M

$45.00 BTN 3,799

261.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K ₫397.1M

$578 BTN 48.8K

2544.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.57 ₫1.2M

$49.28 BTN 4,160

-9.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.95 ₫726.6K

$24.81 BTN 2,094

12.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₫2.6M

$69.0 BTN 5,827

45.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ₫2.1M

$14.21 BTN 1,200

464.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ₫13.9M

$129 BTN 10.9K

314.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ₫8.9M

$86.4 BTN 7,290

296.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 ₫26.6M

$194 BTN 16.4K

427.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 ₫20.4M

$157 BTN 13.3K

399.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,825 ₫99.5M

$6,694 BTN 565.1K

-42.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,283 ₫33.4M

$387 BTN 32.7K

231.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$360 ₫9.3M

$350 BTN 29.5K

2.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

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

Last update for Da Nang: September 12, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $535 in Da Nang versus $129 in Thimphu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Da Nang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang versus $14.00 in Thimphu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $128 – making Thimphu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Da Nang vs Thimphu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $868 in Da Nang, $523 in Thimphu – roughly 66% apart. Da Nang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,302 per month in Da Nang and $785 in Thimphu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thimphu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Da Nang, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang and $14.00 in Thimphu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $868 in Da Nang and $523 in Thimphu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $523 in Thimphu to $868 in Da Nang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Thimphu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Da Nang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.