Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Thimphu: $510 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $26,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Thimphu
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Thimphu Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Thimphu

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$510

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Thimphu and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Thimphu and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $510 in Thimphu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Thimphu $510
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $799 in Thimphu versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Thimphu $799
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,088 in Thimphu versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Thimphu $1,088
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Thimphu costs roughly 81% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thimphu is 62% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 BTN 248

$20.22 $20.22

-87.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.16 BTN 1,372

$85.0 $85.0

-83.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 BTN 474

$12.35 $12.35

-60.40%

Cappuccino

$1.31 BTN 127

$5.47 $5.47

-76.05%

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

$0.49 BTN 47.11

$3.82 $3.82

-87.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 16.47

$2.50 $2.50

-93.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 BTN 247

$8.06 $8.06

-68.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 BTN 155

$8.99 $8.99

-82.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 BTN 74.8

$1.13 $1.13

-31.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 BTN 102

$3.78 $3.78

-71.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 BTN 100

$3.25 $3.25

-68.31%

Eggs

$1.84 BTN 179

$4.14 $4.14

-55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 BTN 358

$13.08 $13.08

-71.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 BTN 388

$14.31 $14.31

-71.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.01 BTN 389

$15.96 $15.96

-74.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 BTN 243

$4.38 $4.38

-42.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 BTN 151

$1.45 $1.45

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 BTN 152

$4.54 $4.54

-65.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 BTN 68.6

$4.19 $4.19

-83.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 BTN 54.2

$2.63 $2.63

-78.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 BTN 68.3

$2.36 $2.36

-70.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 BTN 38.00

$1.76 $1.76

-77.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 BTN 30.22

$2.16 $2.16

-85.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BTN 369

$9.81 $9.81

-61.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.91 BTN 282

$14.72 $14.72

-80.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 BTN 60.5

$2.78 $2.78

-77.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 BTN 127

$3.48 $3.48

-62.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 BTN 73.5

$1.49 $1.49

-48.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.18 BTN 502

$40.51 $40.51

-87.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 BTN 72.7

$2.67 $2.67

-71.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 BTN 147

$1.58 $1.58

-3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.16 BTN 15.51

$35.29 $35.29

-99.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 BTN 73.4

$0.99 $0.99

-23.23%

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

$16.8K BTN 1.6M

$35.8K $35.8K

-53.21%

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

$15.0K BTN 1.5M

$27.2K $27.2K

-44.63%

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

$34.28 BTN 3,321

$219 $219

-84.37%

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

$35.89 BTN 3,477

$58.0 $58.0

-38.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.76 BTN 2,399

$68.4 $68.4

-63.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.99 BTN 4,553

$57.9 $57.9

-18.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 BTN 718

$14.82 $14.82

-50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.17 BTN 307

$14.13 $14.13

-77.57%

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

$45.87 BTN 4,444

$1,509 $1,509

-96.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$576 BTN 55.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

-97.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 BTN 4,874

$51.7 $51.7

-2.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.08 BTN 2,430

$44.05 $44.05

-43.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 BTN 6,570

$85.1 $85.1

-20.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.29 BTN 1,384

$105 $105

-86.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 BTN 12.2K

$1,932 $1,932

-93.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.0 BTN 8,328

$1,272 $1,272

-93.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 BTN 18.2K

$3,670 $3,670

-94.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 BTN 15.1K

$2,525 $2,525

-93.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,543 BTN 633.9K

$7,617 $7,617

-14.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$384 BTN 37.2K

$3,199 $3,199

-88.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$351 BTN 34.0K

$5,105 $5,105

-93.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Thimphu: October 4, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Thimphu

$125 24.2%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 223% $278

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Thimphu

$95 18.4%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 264% $251

Accommodation & Living

Thimphu

$86 16.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 1380% $1.2K

Clothing & Footwear

Thimphu

$71 13.7%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 81.7% $58

Eating Out

Thimphu

$69 13.5%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 401% $279

Sport & Entertainment

Thimphu

$53 10.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 61.5% $33

Getting Around

Thimphu

$17 3.2%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 244% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Thimphu and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1353% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Thimphu vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $125 vs $403 per month, with Thimphu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇹 Thimphu

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

12:23 12:23 PM

01:23 1:23 AM

11 h behind Thimphu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

98,676 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BTN = 10.32 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.2 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BTN – Bhutanese Ngultrum Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇹 Bhutanese Ngultrum (Nu.)

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.88 BTN (100 BTN = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.2 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to BTN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Thimphu Austin, TX 13,550 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Thimphu
Austin, TX

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

Thimphu vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thimphu wins on cost – living expenses run 431% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Thimphu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1353% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $126 in Thimphu versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $510 per month in Thimphu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 431% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Thimphu runs roughly 682% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $510 in Thimphu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Thimphu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Thimphu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Thimphu and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Thimphu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 431% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.