Cost of Living Comparison Between Paro and Thimphu Cost of Living Comparison Between Paro and Thimphu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $147 per month in Paro vs $498 in Thimphu, rent included.

A couple spends around $303 per month in Paro vs $762 in Thimphu, rent included.

A family of three spends $458 per month in Paro vs $1,026 in Thimphu, rent included.

Paro is about 70% cheaper than Thimphu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Paro and Thimphu are more affordable than the global median – Paro 89% lower, Thimphu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 BTN 218

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.16 BTN 1,195

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 BTN 309

Cappuccino

$1.35 BTN 114

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

$0.50 BTN 42.46

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 14.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 BTN 219

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 BTN 182

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 BTN 67.1

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BTN 91.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 BTN 83.2

Eggs

$1.90 BTN 161

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.86 BTN 326

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 BTN 350

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.03 BTN 341

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 BTN 215

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 BTN 135

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 BTN 140

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 BTN 64.7

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 BTN 51.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 BTN 57.2

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 BTN 34.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 BTN 26.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 BTN 342

Wine (Bottle)

$2.83 BTN 239

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 BTN 49.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 BTN 115

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 BTN 63.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.17 BTN 437

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 BTN 68.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 BTN 131

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.16 BTN 13.21

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 BTN 64.2

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

$15.6K BTN 1.3M

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

$35.21 BTN 2,972

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

$37.08 BTN 3,130

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.61 BTN 2,077

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.48 BTN 4,008

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.49 BTN 294

$7.65 BTN 645

-54.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.20 BTN 270

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$573 BTN 48.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 BTN 5,805

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.56 BTN 1,229

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 BTN 16.7K

$131 BTN 11.1K

51.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 BTN 12.7K

$88.2 BTN 7,448

70.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 BTN 42.0K

$192 BTN 16.2K

159.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 BTN 38.3K

$157 BTN 13.3K

189.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,846 BTN 577.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 BTN 33.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$356 BTN 30.1K

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

Last update for Paro: September 5, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Paro versus $131 in Thimphu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $147 in Paro, $498 in Thimphu – roughly 238% apart. Thimphu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $221 per month in Paro and $747 in Thimphu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $147 in Paro and $498 in Thimphu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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