Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Giza Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Giza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $455 in Thimphu versus $483 in Giza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $757 in Thimphu versus $767 in Giza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,059 in Thimphu versus $1,052 in Giza.

Living in Thimphu costs roughly 6% less than in Giza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Thimphu 66% lower, Giza 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 BTN 248

$3.89 E£202

-24.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.63 BTN 1,488

$15.76 E£816

11.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 BTN 293

$4.93 E£255

-29.61%

Cappuccino

$1.48 BTN 125

$1.46 E£75.4

1.37%

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

$0.48 BTN 40.91

$0.36 E£18.81

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 14.15

$0.11 E£5.93

54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BTN 252

$1.30 E£67.2

129.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 BTN 194

$2.00 E£104

15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 BTN 73.1

$0.95 E£49.24

-8.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BTN 79.8

$0.59 E£30.63

61.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 BTN 62.5

$0.69 E£35.99

7.25%

Eggs

$2.00 BTN 169

$1.48 E£76.8

35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.24 BTN 273

$3.39 E£176

-4.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 BTN 319

$4.15 E£215

-9.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 BTN 359

$8.69 E£450

-51.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 BTN 215

$1.47 E£75.9

72.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 BTN 128

$0.57 E£29.28

166.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BTN 157

$0.40 E£20.48

365.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 BTN 61.7

$0.40 E£20.57

82.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 BTN 45.20

$0.50 E£25.72

8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 BTN 52.0

$0.41 E£21.11

51.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 38.43

$0.24 E£12.45

91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 28.88

$0.21 E£10.62

61.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BTN 317

$2.01 E£104

87.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.19 BTN 270

$4.26 E£221

-25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BTN 53.8

$1.34 E£69.3

-52.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BTN 87.4

$1.69 E£87.7

-38.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 BTN 144

$0.29 E£14.85

489.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.10 BTN 346

$1.98 E£102

107.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 BTN 71.6

$0.42 E£21.62

102.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 BTN 188

$0.25 E£13.03

792.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 BTN 15.82

$2.03 E£105

-90.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 BTN 82.2

$0.34 E£17.37

185.29%

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

$35.2K E£1.8M

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

$33.2K E£1.7M

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

$23.29 BTN 1,966

$19.33 E£1,001

20.49%

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

$38.02 BTN 3,209

$7.48 E£388

408.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.34 BTN 2,308

$12.44 E£645

119.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.52 BTN 4,096

$17.18 E£890

182.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.60 BTN 642

$7.04 E£365

7.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 BTN 290

$3.59 E£186

-4.46%

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

$242 BTN 20.4K

$90.7 E£4,700

166.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$681 BTN 57.4K

$1,971 E£102.1K

-65.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.13 BTN 771

$27.62 E£1,431

-66.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.81 BTN 997

$48.56 E£2,515

-75.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.80 BTN 2,685

$106 E£5,513

-70.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.61 BTN 2,668

$50.5 E£2,617

-37.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 BTN 9,925

$192 E£9,929

-38.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.5 BTN 5,363

$113 E£5,866

-43.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 BTN 17.1K

$412 E£21.4K

-50.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 BTN 11.7K

$178 E£9,228

-22.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,698 BTN 565.4K

$798 E£41.3K

739.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 BTN 33.0K

$1,199 E£62.1K

-67.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 BTN 29.4K

$125 E£6,482

178.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

-36.76%

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

Last update for Thimphu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Giza: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Thimphu and $192 in Giza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thimphu pays 179% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Thimphu vs $16.00 in Giza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $120 per month, with Giza cheaper across the board.

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 Giza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thimphu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Thimphu pays 179% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Thimphu versus $192 in Giza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Thimphu runs roughly 107% less than in Giza. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $242 in Thimphu versus $90.7 in Giza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Thimphu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Giza 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 6% less than in Giza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.