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

Name: Bhutan
Address: BT

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

The cost of living in Pakistan is about 94% higher than in Bhutan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.81 PKR 503

$2.87 BTN 242

-36.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.15 PKR 3,375

$17.49 BTN 1,477

-30.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 PKR 1,190

$3.41 BTN 288

25.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PKR 1,106

Cappuccino

$1.74 PKR 482

$1.41 BTN 119

23.40%

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

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.48 BTN 40.11

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.17 BTN 14.34

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 BTN 245

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 BTN 198

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.86 BTN 72.4

-9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.81 BTN 68.5

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$0.67 BTN 56.6

80.60%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.96 BTN 165

-38.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 PKR 1,579

$3.19 BTN 269

78.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 PKR 789

$3.60 BTN 304

-21.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.09 PKR 1,135

$4.28 BTN 362

-4.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 279

$2.82 BTN 238

-64.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$1.68 BTN 142

-63.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 PKR 212

$2.15 BTN 182

-64.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.90 BTN 76.0

-42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.55 BTN 46.40

-30.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.67 BTN 56.4

-23.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.39 BTN 32.97

-2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.41 BTN 34.37

-12.20%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 559

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)

$1.96 PKR 545

$3.84 BTN 325

-48.96%

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)

$0.20 PKR 56.1

$2.08 BTN 176

-90.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.24 PKR 2,011

$3.92 BTN 331

84.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.85 BTN 71.9

-1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 PKR 145

$2.29 BTN 193

-77.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 496

$0.15 BTN 12.64

1093.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$0.96 BTN 80.8

-7.29%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$19.3K BTN 1.6M

-7.60%

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

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

$24.8K BTN 2.1M

-4.29%

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

$110 PKR 30.5K

$22.94 BTN 1,937

379.08%

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

$4.58 PKR 1,270

$37.07 BTN 3,129

-87.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.58 PKR 4,326

$23.00 BTN 1,942

-32.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.28 PKR 3,687

$48.83 BTN 4,122

-72.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.84 PKR 2,456

$6.10 BTN 515

44.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 PKR 1,148

$3.45 BTN 291

19.71%

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

$39.62 PKR 11.0K

$242 BTN 20.4K

-83.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,170 PKR 324.9K

$665 BTN 56.1K

76.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.59 PKR 4,330

$20.30 BTN 1,714

-23.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 PKR 6,601

$11.71 BTN 988

102.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 PKR 20.0K

$48.46 BTN 4,091

48.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.15 PKR 8,928

$38.75 BTN 3,271

-17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 PKR 31.9K

$103 BTN 8,725

11.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

$67.9 BTN 5,729

-2.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 PKR 76.1K

$173 BTN 14.6K

58.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 PKR 45.2K

$137 BTN 11.5K

19.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$965 PKR 268.0K

$5,481 BTN 462.7K

-82.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 PKR 139.4K

$1,689 BTN 142.6K

-70.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$186 PKR 51.6K

$425 BTN 35.9K

-56.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.97

10.75

76.47%

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

Last update for Pakistan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bhutan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Average salary: $181 in Pakistan vs $393 in Bhutan. 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

Pakistan vs Bhutan: 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.