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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,686 per month in Spain vs $182 in Bhutan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,489 per month in Spain vs $292 in Bhutan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,291 per month in Spain vs $402 in Bhutan, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 826% 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 87% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.13 €14.91
$2.65 BTN 224
546.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 €49.80
$14.17 BTN 1,196
303.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.60 €10.10
$3.72 BTN 314
211.83%
Cappuccino
$2.40 €2.09
$1.37 BTN 116
75.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.37
$0.49 BTN 41.61
457.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.65
$0.19 BTN 16.41
894.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.57 €3.11
$2.56 BTN 216
39.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 €3.45
$2.12 BTN 179
86.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 €1.09
$0.79 BTN 66.8
59.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.34
$0.84 BTN 71.2
83.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 €1.42
$1.01 BTN 85.6
61.39%
Eggs
$3.44 €3.00
$1.62 BTN 137
112.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.55
$3.34 BTN 282
331.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.89 €7.74
$3.87 BTN 327
129.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.49 €14.35
$3.76 BTN 317
338.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 €2.17
$2.51 BTN 212
-0.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.85
$1.51 BTN 127
41.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 €1.94
$1.63 BTN 138
36.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.21
$0.89 BTN 74.8
185.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 €1.57
$0.61 BTN 51.3
196.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.74
$0.71 BTN 59.6
181.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.17
$0.67 BTN 56.8
101.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.66
$0.30 BTN 25.29
153.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 €6.01
$3.86 BTN 326
79.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.72 €4.98
$2.96 BTN 250
93.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.15
$0.85 BTN 71.7
55.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.86
$1.10 BTN 93.1
93.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 €1.49
$0.77 BTN 65.1
122.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.14 €30.58
$5.17 BTN 437
579.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.66 €4.05
$0.81 BTN 68.7
475.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 €1.34
$1.60 BTN 135
-3.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.59 €22.27
$0.16 BTN 13.29
15893.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 €1.54
$0.75 BTN 63.6
134.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K €31.5K
$16.9K BTN 1.4M
114.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K €26.3K
$15.0K BTN 1.3M
100.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$155 €134
$34.35 BTN 2,900
349.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.12 €15.77
$37.14 BTN 3,135
-51.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.66 €28.42
$24.77 BTN 2,091
31.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.15 €40.16
$46.40 BTN 3,917
-0.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.65 €13.62
$6.22 BTN 525
151.61%
Cinema Ticket
$10.01 €8.71
$3.10 BTN 262
222.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$560 €488
$45.86 BTN 3,872
1121.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K €9,339
$570 BTN 48.1K
1782.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1 €75.8
$35.31 BTN 2,981
146.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.45 €33.46
$17.78 BTN 1,501
116.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 €80.0
$54.6 BTN 4,606
68.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €94.2
$25.70 BTN 2,169
321.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,042 €907
$123 BTN 10.4K
747.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$814 €708
$87.1 BTN 7,349
834.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,627 €1,416
$182 BTN 15.3K
796.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,246 €1,085
$147 BTN 12.4K
749.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,266 €3,712
$5,469 BTN 461.7K
-22.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,607 €2,269
$1,643 BTN 138.7K
58.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,046 €1,781
$312 BTN 26.4K
554.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.29
0
-

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

Last update for Spain: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bhutan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $932 in Spain vs $84.0 in Bhutan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,567 in Madrid and $129 in Thimphu.

Average salary: $2,029 in Spain vs $297 in Bhutan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1010% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 1867% more in Spain.

Public transport is 3000% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 583% 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 596% 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 596% 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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