Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Bhutan Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Bhutan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,642 per month in Spain vs $205 in Bhutan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,392 per month in Spain vs $315 in Bhutan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,142 per month in Spain vs $425 in Bhutan, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 701% higher than in Bhutan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Spain sits 23% above the global median, while Bhutan is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.06 €13.91
$2.84 BTN 240
465.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.9 €49.24
$17.15 BTN 1,448
231.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.30 €8.92
$3.54 BTN 298
190.96%
Cappuccino
$2.32 €2.01
$1.46 BTN 123
58.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.26
$0.48 BTN 40.45
441.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.59
$0.15 BTN 12.34
1126.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 €2.97
$2.98 BTN 251
15.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 €3.44
$2.32 BTN 196
71.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.03
$0.88 BTN 74.3
35.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.32
$0.84 BTN 71.0
80.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.67 €1.45
$0.67 BTN 56.5
149.25%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.58
$2.01 BTN 170
48.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.49
$3.29 BTN 278
338.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.59 €7.44
$3.73 BTN 315
130.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.95 €13.81
$4.18 BTN 353
281.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.17
$2.82 BTN 238
-10.99%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 €1.80
$1.75 BTN 147
18.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 €1.77
$2.05 BTN 173
-0.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.64 €2.28
$0.95 BTN 80.5
177.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 €1.52
$0.55 BTN 46.66
220.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.71
$0.72 BTN 60.4
175.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.17
$0.43 BTN 36.02
213.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.64
$0.37 BTN 31.54
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.27 €5.43
$3.77 BTN 318
66.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €4.98
$3.08 BTN 260
86.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.13
$0.76 BTN 64.3
71.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.78
$1.18 BTN 100.0
74.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 €1.53
$2.05 BTN 173
-13.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.49 €29.87
$3.89 BTN 329
786.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.49 €3.89
$0.85 BTN 71.9
428.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 €1.15
$2.33 BTN 196
-43.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.12 €23.48
$0.17 BTN 14.72
15852.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.56
$0.97 BTN 82.0
85.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €33.1K
$19.6K BTN 1.7M
95.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K €26.7K
$24.0K BTN 2.0M
28.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €129
$23.55 BTN 1,988
531.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.14 €17.44
$38.32 BTN 3,235
-47.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.50 €29.01
$22.51 BTN 1,900
48.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.30 €40.10
$48.57 BTN 4,100
-4.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.61 €13.52
$6.33 BTN 534
146.60%
Cinema Ticket
$9.40 €8.14
$3.41 BTN 288
175.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$522 €452
$244 BTN 20.6K
113.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,880 €8,556
$661 BTN 55.8K
1393.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 €76.3
$20.20 BTN 1,705
335.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.98 €31.16
$11.42 BTN 964
215.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.0 €77.1
$49.06 BTN 4,142
81.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €93.6
$38.49 BTN 3,249
180.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 €900
$106 BTN 8,955
879.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$820 €710
$68.0 BTN 5,738
1105.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 €1,462
$171 BTN 14.5K
885.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,214 €1,051
$137 BTN 11.5K
788.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,301 €3,725
$5,470 BTN 461.8K
-21.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,604 €2,255
$1,625 BTN 137.2K
60.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,982 €1,716
$413 BTN 34.8K
380.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
10.75
-67.35%

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

Last update for Spain: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bhutan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $85.0 in Bhutan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,561 in Madrid and $117 in Thimphu.

Average salary: $1,989 in Spain vs $387 in Bhutan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 956% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 1667% more in Spain.

Public transport is 3200% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 414% higher in Spain, 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
Spain vs Bhutan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bhutan more expensive than Spain?
Bhutan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 851% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Bhutan, contributing to the overall 851% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Bhutan or in Spain?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Bhutan, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Bhutan or to Spain?
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.

Spain vs other spots: cost of living compared

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