Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paro and Thimphu

For one person, living is cheaper in Paro: $153 a month against $522 in Thimphu, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year.

25

Cost of Living Index in Thimphu
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Thimphu Living Index

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Paro

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$153

/mo nomad

Thimphu

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$522

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paro 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 Paro and in Thimphu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $153 per month in Paro vs $522 in Thimphu, rent included.

Paro $153
Thimphu $522

A couple spends around $299 per month in Paro vs $811 in Thimphu, rent included.

Paro $299
Thimphu $811

A family of three spends $446 per month in Paro vs $1,100 in Thimphu, rent included.

Paro $446
Thimphu $1,100

Paro is about 71% cheaper than Thimphu.

Both Paro and Thimphu are more affordable than the global median – Paro 89% lower, Thimphu 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 BTN 253

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.45 BTN 1,377

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 BTN 471

Cappuccino

$1.27 BTN 121

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

$0.53 BTN 50.5

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 16.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 BTN 255

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BTN 148

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 BTN 73.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 BTN 107

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 BTN 97.8

Eggs

$1.95 BTN 185

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.74 BTN 356

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 BTN 378

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.89 BTN 371

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 BTN 241

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 BTN 144

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 BTN 156

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 BTN 72.9

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 BTN 54.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 BTN 67.7

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 BTN 35.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 BTN 29.96

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 BTN 378

Wine (Bottle)

$2.80 BTN 267

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 BTN 59.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BTN 134

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 BTN 76.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.27 BTN 502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 BTN 73.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 BTN 149

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.14 BTN 13.67

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 BTN 74.5

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

$16.8K BTN 1.6M

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

$15.5K BTN 1.5M

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

$34.15 BTN 3,254

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

$35.64 BTN 3,396

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 BTN 2,301

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.23 BTN 4,596

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.59 BTN 342

$7.53 BTN 718

-52.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 BTN 299

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

$45.45 BTN 4,331

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$579 BTN 55.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 BTN 4,772

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.28 BTN 2,409

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 BTN 6,496

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.25 BTN 1,358

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 BTN 19.2K

$128 BTN 12.2K

57.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 BTN 14.6K

$88.9 BTN 8,472

71.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 BTN 47.5K

$191 BTN 18.2K

161.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 BTN 42.1K

$155 BTN 14.8K

184.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,737 BTN 642.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 BTN 38.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 BTN 33.1K

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

Last update for Paro: October 24, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Paro

–

Thimphu

$126 24.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Paro

–

Thimphu

$94 18%

Accommodation & Living

Paro

–

Thimphu

$89 17.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Paro

–

Thimphu

$71 13.6%

Eating Out

Paro

–

Thimphu

$71 13.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Paro

–

Thimphu

$55 10.5%

Getting Around

Paro

–

Thimphu

$17 3.3%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $202 in Paro 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.

Good to know

🇧🇹 Paro

🇧🇹 Thimphu

🕒 Local time

01:42 1:42 AM

Same time as Paro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,448

98,676 Capital

💱 Currency

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BTN = 10.49 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.42 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.49 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Paro Thimphu 22 km

From you

Paro
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

Paro vs Thimphu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thimphu costs about 241% more than Paro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $229 per month in Paro 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 $202 in Paro.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $153 in Paro and $522 in Thimphu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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