Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Thimphu

For one person, living is cheaper in Thimphu: $522 a month against $889 in Da Nang, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Da Nang
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Da Nang Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Thimphu
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Thimphu Living Index

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Da Nang

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$889

/mo nomad

Thimphu

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$522

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Da Nang and in Thimphu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Da Nang and in Thimphu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $889 per month in Da Nang vs $522 in Thimphu, rent included.

Da Nang $889
Thimphu $522

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Da Nang vs $811 in Thimphu, rent included.

Da Nang $1,426
Thimphu $811

A family of three spends $1,963 per month in Da Nang vs $1,100 in Thimphu, rent included.

Da Nang $1,963
Thimphu $1,100

Da Nang costs about 70% more than Thimphu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Da Nang and Thimphu are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 35% lower, Thimphu 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 ₫56.0K

$2.65 BTN 252

-18.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.53 ₫504.0K

$14.45 BTN 1,373

35.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₫117.0K

$4.94 BTN 469

-8.30%

Cappuccino

$1.64 ₫42.4K

$1.27 BTN 121

29.13%

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

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$0.53 BTN 50.3

13.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,901

$0.17 BTN 16.04

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 ₫34.4K

$2.68 BTN 255

-50.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₫61.0K

$1.55 BTN 148

52.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₫41.2K

$0.77 BTN 73.4

107.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₫31.0K

$1.12 BTN 106

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.1K

$1.03 BTN 97.5

1.94%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.3K

$1.95 BTN 185

-22.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ₫330.7K

$3.74 BTN 355

242.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.17 ₫107.5K

$3.96 BTN 377

5.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.33 ₫240.6K

$3.89 BTN 370

139.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ₫67.2K

$2.52 BTN 240

3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.3K

$1.51 BTN 143

-19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$1.64 BTN 156

-21.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₫40.5K

$0.76 BTN 72.7

106.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.0K

$0.57 BTN 54.0

110.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 ₫33.9K

$0.71 BTN 67.5

84.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₫26.9K

$0.38 BTN 35.84

173.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.7K

$0.31 BTN 29.88

58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.0K

$3.97 BTN 377

-61.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 ₫205.6K

$2.80 BTN 266

184.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.0K

$0.62 BTN 58.9

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₫56.3K

$1.41 BTN 134

54.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₫7,693

$0.80 BTN 76.2

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.31 ₫162.7K

$5.27 BTN 501

19.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₫26.8K

$0.77 BTN 73.5

35.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₫14.6K

$1.56 BTN 148

-63.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.27 ₫497.1K

$0.14 BTN 13.63

13664.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.4K

$0.78 BTN 74.3

16.67%

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

$30.8K ₫795.4M

$16.8K BTN 1.6M

83.91%

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

$28.4K ₫732.2M

$15.5K BTN 1.5M

83.37%

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

$78.5 ₫2.0M

$34.15 BTN 3,245

129.99%

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

$6.35 ₫163.9K

$35.64 BTN 3,386

-82.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.33 ₫214.9K

$24.15 BTN 2,295

-65.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.08 ₫698.6K

$48.23 BTN 4,583

-43.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.32 ₫137.2K

$7.53 BTN 716

-29.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 ₫86.8K

$3.13 BTN 298

7.67%

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

$423 ₫10.9M

$45.45 BTN 4,319

830.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ₫389.5M

$579 BTN 55.1K

2505.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.19 ₫1.2M

$50.1 BTN 4,758

-9.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.75 ₫716.1K

$25.28 BTN 2,402

9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₫2.6M

$68.2 BTN 6,478

47.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 ₫2.1M

$14.25 BTN 1,354

480.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 ₫14.3M

$128 BTN 12.2K

330.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₫9.5M

$88.9 BTN 8,448

315.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 ₫31.7M

$191 BTN 18.1K

544.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 ₫21.2M

$155 BTN 14.8K

428.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,858 ₫99.5M

$6,737 BTN 640.2K

-42.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₫48.4M

$399 BTN 37.9K

370.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 ₫9.4M

$348 BTN 33.0K

4.22%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Da Nang

$369 41.5%

Thimphu

$89 17.1% 75.9% $280

Groceries & Markets

Da Nang

$200 22.5%

Thimphu

$126 24.1% 37.3% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Da Nang

$115 13%

Thimphu

$71 13.6% 38.5% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Da Nang

$93 10.5%

Thimphu

$94 18% 0.8% $0.7

Eating Out

Da Nang

$66 7.4%

Thimphu

$71 13.5% 7.2% $4.8

Sport & Entertainment

Da Nang

$34 3.8%

Thimphu

$55 10.5% 61.2% $21

Getting Around

Da Nang

$11 1.3%

Thimphu

$17 3.3% 50% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $553 in Da Nang versus $128 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 4% 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 $20 in Da Nang versus $14 in Thimphu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $126 – making Thimphu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Da Nang

🇧🇹 Thimphu

🕒 Local time

20:05 8:05 PM

19:05 7:05 PM

1 h behind Da Nang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,245,200

98,676 Capital

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.52 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 25,802 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,794 VND (100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 95.02 BTN (100 BTN = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.43 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Da Nang Thimphu 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Da Nang
Thimphu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $889 in Da Nang, $522 in Thimphu – Thimphu comes out roughly 41% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,333 per month in Da Nang and $782 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $128 there versus $553 in Da Nang.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Da Nang, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Da Nang and $14 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 $889 in Da Nang and $522 in Thimphu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Thimphu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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