Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Punakha Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Punakha

😐 Solo nomad: Thimphu is 99.3% more expensive than Punakha without rent, and 45.2% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Thimphu is 87.8% more expensive than Punakha without rent, and 67.2% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 BTN 269

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.17 BTN 1,581

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 BTN 315

Cappuccino

$1.47 BTN 135

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

$0.52 BTN 47.77

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 15.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 BTN 272

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 BTN 211

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 BTN 79.3

$0.85 BTN 78.3

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 BTN 81.9

$0.55 BTN 50.2

61.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 BTN 62.7

$0.62 BTN 57.0

9.68%

Eggs

$1.98 BTN 183

$1.63 BTN 150

21.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.23 BTN 297

$4.94 BTN 455

-34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 BTN 351

$3.18 BTN 293

19.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.24 BTN 390

$3.59 BTN 331

18.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 BTN 233

$3.99 BTN 367

-36.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 BTN 134

$2.35 BTN 216

-38.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BTN 178

$2.30 BTN 211

-16.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 BTN 72.0

$0.79 BTN 72.8

-1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 BTN 44.80

$0.51 BTN 46.93

-3.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 BTN 57.0

$0.89 BTN 81.7

-30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 BTN 41.77

$0.28 BTN 25.62

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 31.47

$0.45 BTN 41.53

-24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 BTN 339

$3.44 BTN 317

6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.33 BTN 307

$3.06 BTN 282

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 BTN 57.8

$0.82 BTN 75.3

-23.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 BTN 94.0

$1.31 BTN 121

-22.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 BTN 164

$2.31 BTN 212

-22.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.01 BTN 370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 BTN 78.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 BTN 208

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.15 BTN 13.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 BTN 87.3

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

$23.34 BTN 2,150

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

$37.08 BTN 3,415

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 BTN 2,454

$17.82 BTN 1,642

49.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.13 BTN 4,434

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.66 BTN 705

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 BTN 327

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

$246 BTN 22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$678 BTN 62.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.23 BTN 850

$25.98 BTN 2,393

-64.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.44 BTN 1,054

$11.53 BTN 1,062

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.53 BTN 2,997

$54.3 BTN 5,004

-40.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.25 BTN 2,971

$40.09 BTN 3,693

-19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 BTN 10.6K

$107 BTN 9,844

7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.4 BTN 5,747

$94.9 BTN 8,742

-34.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 BTN 18.4K

$107 BTN 9,817

87.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 BTN 12.8K

$135 BTN 12.4K

3.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$643 BTN 59.2K

$3,231 BTN 297.6K

-80.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$261 BTN 24.1K

$3,080 BTN 283.7K

-91.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 BTN 47.6K

$246 BTN 22.7K

110.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

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

Last update for Thimphu: March 2, 2026

Last update for Punakha: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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