Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Caloocan Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Caloocan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $455 per month in Thimphu vs $671 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $757 per month in Thimphu vs $1,049 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,059 per month in Thimphu vs $1,427 in Caloocan, rent included.

Thimphu is about 32% cheaper than Caloocan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thimphu and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Thimphu 66% lower, Caloocan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 BTN 248

$3.51 ₱216

-16.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.63 BTN 1,488

$13.41 ₱827

31.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 BTN 293

$2.62 ₱162

32.44%

Cappuccino

$1.48 BTN 125

$1.14 ₱70.1

29.82%

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

$0.48 BTN 40.91

$0.47 ₱28.69

2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 14.15

$0.38 ₱23.36

-55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BTN 252

$1.36 ₱83.9

119.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 BTN 194

$2.00 ₱123

15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 BTN 73.1

$1.85 ₱114

-52.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BTN 79.8

$1.19 ₱73.2

-20.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 BTN 62.5

$1.00 ₱61.4

-26.00%

Eggs

$2.00 BTN 169

$1.95 ₱120

2.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.24 BTN 273

$2.16 ₱133

50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 BTN 319

$2.80 ₱173

34.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 BTN 359

$5.80 ₱358

-26.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 BTN 215

$1.98 ₱122

28.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 BTN 128

$1.15 ₱70.9

32.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BTN 157

$2.36 ₱145

-21.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 BTN 61.7

$1.22 ₱75.3

-40.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 BTN 45.20

$1.26 ₱77.6

-57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 BTN 52.0

$2.29 ₱141

-72.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 38.43

$0.68 ₱42.04

-32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 28.88

$0.54 ₱33.18

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BTN 317

$3.33 ₱206

12.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.19 BTN 270

$4.93 ₱304

-35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BTN 53.8

$1.02 ₱63.2

-37.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BTN 87.4

$2.29 ₱141

-54.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 BTN 144

$0.20 ₱12.32

755.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.10 BTN 346

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 BTN 71.6

$0.83 ₱50.9

2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 BTN 188

$0.22 ₱13.56

913.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 BTN 15.82

$2.44 ₱151

-92.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 BTN 82.2

$1.14 ₱70.5

-14.91%

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

$31.6K ₱1.9M

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

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

$23.29 BTN 1,966

$59.5 ₱3,666

-60.83%

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

$38.02 BTN 3,209

$10.46 ₱645

263.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.34 BTN 2,308

$26.65 ₱1,643

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.52 BTN 4,096

$5.23 ₱323

827.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.60 BTN 642

$4.56 ₱281

66.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 BTN 290

$5.72 ₱353

-40.03%

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

$242 BTN 20.4K

$154 ₱9,480

57.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$681 BTN 57.4K

$4,733 ₱291.9K

-85.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.13 BTN 771

$49.40 ₱3,046

-81.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.81 BTN 997

$27.65 ₱1,705

-57.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.80 BTN 2,685

$54.3 ₱3,346

-41.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.61 BTN 2,668

$46.58 ₱2,872

-32.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 BTN 9,925

$290 ₱17.9K

-59.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.5 BTN 5,363

$265 ₱16.3K

-76.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 BTN 17.1K

$595 ₱36.7K

-65.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 BTN 11.7K

$526 ₱32.4K

-73.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,698 BTN 565.4K

$2,301 ₱141.9K

191.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 BTN 33.0K

$1,088 ₱67.1K

-64.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 BTN 29.4K

$276 ₱17.0K

26.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

4.5

138.89%

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

Last update for Thimphu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Thimphu versus $290 in Caloocan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Thimphu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Thimphu versus $13.00 in Caloocan. Groceries tell a different story – $124 in Thimphu vs $150 in Caloocan – so Thimphu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Caloocan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caloocan costs about 48% more than Thimphu, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $682 per month in Thimphu and $1,007 in Caloocan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Thimphu and $13.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Caloocan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $455 in Thimphu and $671 in Caloocan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Thimphu – 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 Thimphu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caloocan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.