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 $206 in Bhutan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,395 per month in Spain vs $318 in Bhutan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,148 per month in Spain vs $429 in Bhutan, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 697% 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
$16.25 €14.18
$2.99 BTN 252
443.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.0 €49.75
$17.69 BTN 1,494
222.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.23 €8.93
$3.42 BTN 289
199.12%
Cappuccino
$2.39 €2.08
$1.40 BTN 118
70.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.26
$0.52 BTN 43.84
398.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.60
$0.16 BTN 13.87
1043.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.38 €2.95
$2.98 BTN 252
13.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 €3.48
$2.34 BTN 198
70.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.06
$0.85 BTN 72.2
43.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.33
$0.85 BTN 72.0
78.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 €1.46
$0.67 BTN 56.9
150.75%
Eggs
$2.93 €2.56
$1.92 BTN 162
52.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.59
$3.30 BTN 279
336.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.61 €7.51
$3.67 BTN 310
134.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 €13.91
$4.11 BTN 347
287.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.21
$2.76 BTN 233
-7.97%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 €1.74
$1.67 BTN 141
19.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 €1.85
$2.14 BTN 180
-0.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.66 €2.32
$0.98 BTN 82.5
171.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.55
$0.56 BTN 46.88
216.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 €1.66
$0.73 BTN 61.7
160.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.13
$0.40 BTN 33.59
225.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 €0.68
$0.40 BTN 34.18
95.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.40 €5.59
$3.85 BTN 325
66.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.90 €5.15
$3.14 BTN 265
87.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.15
$0.72 BTN 60.4
81.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 €1.81
$1.14 BTN 96.3
82.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.73 €1.51
$2.07 BTN 174
-16.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.65 €30.23
$3.93 BTN 332
781.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.61 €4.02
$0.83 BTN 70.1
455.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 €1.12
$2.32 BTN 196
-44.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.09 €23.64
$0.18 BTN 14.99
14950.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 €1.53
$0.91 BTN 76.9
92.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.9K €33.9K
$19.3K BTN 1.6M
101.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K €27.2K
$24.7K BTN 2.1M
26.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €130
$23.43 BTN 1,978
536.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.93 €17.39
$37.21 BTN 3,141
-46.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.57 €29.29
$22.90 BTN 1,933
46.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.48 €40.56
$49.37 BTN 4,167
-5.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.59 €13.61
$6.05 BTN 511
157.69%
Cinema Ticket
$9.41 €8.21
$3.60 BTN 304
161.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$514 €448
$240 BTN 20.3K
113.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K €8,822
$658 BTN 55.5K
1436.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.6 €76.4
$20.55 BTN 1,735
326.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.02 €32.30
$11.58 BTN 978
219.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.5 €78.9
$49.40 BTN 4,170
83.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 €93.0
$38.49 BTN 3,249
177.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 €925
$103 BTN 8,665
933.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$827 €721
$69.9 BTN 5,904
1082.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,661 €1,449
$177 BTN 15.0K
837.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,239 €1,081
$136 BTN 11.5K
809.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,377 €3,819
$5,570 BTN 470.2K
-21.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,690 €2,347
$1,676 BTN 141.5K
60.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Bhutan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,066 €1,802
$427 BTN 36.0K
384.16%
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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Bhutan: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $85.0 in Bhutan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,565 in Madrid and $117 in Thimphu.

Average salary: $2,019 in Spain vs $394 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 412% 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 854% 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 854% 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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