Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Kanglung

For one person, living is cheaper in Kanglung: $103 a month against $518 in Thimphu, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Thimphu
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Thimphu Living Index

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Thimphu

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$518

/mo nomad

Kanglung

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$103

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Thimphu and in Kanglung

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 Kanglung actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Thimphu versus $103 in Kanglung.

Thimphu $518
Kanglung $103

Estimated couple costs with rent: $809 in Thimphu versus $170 in Kanglung.

Thimphu $809
Kanglung $170

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,100 in Thimphu versus $237 in Kanglung.

Thimphu $1,100
Kanglung $237

Living in Thimphu is roughly 404% more expensive than in Kanglung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Thimphu 62% lower, Kanglung 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.57 BTN 245

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.30 BTN 1,360

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 BTN 479

Cappuccino

$1.32 BTN 125

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

$0.52 BTN 49.11

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 15.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 BTN 242

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BTN 145

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 BTN 75.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BTN 101

$0.52 BTN 49.61

105.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 BTN 92.2

Eggs

$1.94 BTN 184

$1.18 BTN 112

64.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.85 BTN 366

$2.26 BTN 214

70.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 BTN 372

$2.15 BTN 204

81.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.96 BTN 377

$2.25 BTN 214

76.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 BTN 249

$2.15 BTN 205

21.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 BTN 142

$2.16 BTN 206

-31.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 BTN 155

$2.22 BTN 211

-26.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 BTN 72.4

$2.16 BTN 205

-64.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 BTN 56.4

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 BTN 68.3

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 BTN 37.65

$0.99 BTN 93.8

-59.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 BTN 27.38

$1.01 BTN 96.2

-71.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 BTN 367

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 BTN 280

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 BTN 59.4

$1.40 BTN 133

-55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 BTN 127

$0.97 BTN 92.3

38.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 BTN 75.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.34 BTN 508

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 BTN 77.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 BTN 146

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.15 BTN 14.67

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 BTN 73.5

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

$16.6K BTN 1.6M

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

$15.2K BTN 1.4M

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

$33.45 BTN 3,181

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

$36.61 BTN 3,481

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.55 BTN 2,334

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.29 BTN 4,402

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.74 BTN 736

Cinema Ticket

$3.06 BTN 291

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

$44.53 BTN 4,234

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$574 BTN 54.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 BTN 4,888

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.86 BTN 2,364

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 BTN 6,517

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.83 BTN 1,315

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 BTN 12.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.7 BTN 8,240

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 BTN 18.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 BTN 15.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,634 BTN 630.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 BTN 36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$344 BTN 32.7K

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

Last update for Thimphu: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kanglung: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Thimphu

$126 24.3%

Kanglung

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Thimphu

$95 18.3%

Kanglung

–

Accommodation & Living

Thimphu

$87 16.7%

Kanglung

–

Clothing & Footwear

Thimphu

$71 13.8%

Kanglung

–

Eating Out

Thimphu

$70 13.5%

Kanglung

–

Sport & Entertainment

Thimphu

$52 10.1%

Kanglung

–

Getting Around

Thimphu

$17 3.3%

Kanglung

–

Good to know

🇧🇹 Thimphu

🇧🇹 Kanglung

🕒 Local time

14:12 2:12 PM

Same time as Thimphu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

98,676 Capital

💱 Currency

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BTN = 10.52 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.36 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.52 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Thimphu Kanglung 190 km

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Thimphu
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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 Kanglung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thimphu and Kanglung differ by about 404% in total monthly costs ($518 vs $103 including rent). Kanglung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $776 in Thimphu and $154 in Kanglung to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Thimphu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $518 per month in Thimphu versus $103 in Kanglung – a 404% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kanglung 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 Kanglung 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 Kanglung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 404% less than in Thimphu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.