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: $457 in Thimphu versus $478 in Giza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $749 in Thimphu versus $750 in Giza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,041 in Thimphu versus $1,021 in Giza.

Living in Thimphu costs roughly 5% 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

$2.96 BTN 250

$3.93 E£201

-24.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.68 BTN 1,492

$16.03 E£819

10.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 BTN 290

$4.90 E£250

-30.00%

Cappuccino

$1.42 BTN 120

$1.44 E£73.3

-1.39%

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

$0.49 BTN 41.27

$0.34 E£17.21

44.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 BTN 12.46

$0.14 E£7.13

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 BTN 241

$1.24 E£63.5

129.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 BTN 192

$2.00 E£102

13.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 BTN 67.4

$0.93 E£47.48

-13.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BTN 80.3

$0.59 E£30.23

61.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 BTN 57.8

$0.70 E£35.56

-2.86%

Eggs

$2.05 BTN 173

$1.49 E£75.9

37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 BTN 282

$3.30 E£168

1.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 BTN 322

$4.20 E£215

-9.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 BTN 372

$8.48 E£433

-48.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 BTN 211

$1.42 E£72.5

76.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 BTN 123

$0.59 E£30.27

147.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 BTN 160

$0.42 E£21.63

350.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 BTN 65.0

$0.36 E£18.55

113.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 BTN 42.01

$0.47 E£23.93

6.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 BTN 48.64

$0.44 E£22.43

31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 38.59

$0.22 E£11.18

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 28.92

$0.20 E£10.08

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 BTN 313

$1.96 E£100

89.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.23 BTN 273

$4.54 E£232

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 BTN 53.0

$1.39 E£71.2

-54.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BTN 91.0

$1.73 E£88.2

-37.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BTN 150

$0.31 E£15.93

474.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.07 BTN 343

$1.98 E£101

105.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 BTN 74.5

$0.38 E£19.62

131.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 BTN 198

$0.25 E£12.86

836.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.17 BTN 14.64

$2.00 E£102

-91.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 BTN 77.1

$0.31 E£15.68

193.55%

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

$35.7K E£1.8M

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

$33.4K E£1.7M

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

$23.57 BTN 1,989

$19.09 E£975

23.47%

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

$38.26 BTN 3,229

$7.36 E£376

419.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 BTN 2,254

$12.39 E£633

115.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.96 BTN 4,133

$17.25 E£881

183.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 BTN 649

$7.36 E£376

4.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 BTN 302

$3.51 E£179

1.99%

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

$241 BTN 20.3K

$92.1 E£4,701

161.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$660 BTN 55.7K

$1,952 E£99.7K

-66.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.14 BTN 772

$27.51 E£1,405

-66.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.54 BTN 974

$48.88 E£2,496

-76.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.39 BTN 2,734

$106 E£5,400

-69.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.64 BTN 2,671

$51.5 E£2,631

-38.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 BTN 9,634

$198 E£10.1K

-42.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.9 BTN 5,224

$113 E£5,760

-45.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 BTN 16.7K

$413 E£21.1K

-52.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 BTN 11.7K

$176 E£8,976

-20.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,611 BTN 558.1K

$819 E£41.8K

707.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$391 BTN 33.0K

$1,261 E£64.4K

-68.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 BTN 29.7K

$131 E£6,697

168.52%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Giza: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $114 in Thimphu and $198 in Giza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thimphu pays 169% 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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 169% higher in Thimphu, 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: $114 in Thimphu versus $198 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 106% less than in Giza. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $241 in Thimphu versus $92.1 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 5% less than in Giza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.