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

😐 Solo nomad: Thimphu is 64.9% more expensive than Punakha without rent, and 50.4% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Thimphu is 68.3% more expensive than Punakha without rent, and 69.8% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 BTN 253

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.4 BTN 1,469

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.45 BTN 291

Cappuccino

$1.42 BTN 120

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

$0.48 BTN 40.16

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 BTN 12.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 BTN 252

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.3 BTN 194

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 BTN 67.1

$0.83 BTN 70.2

-4.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.9 BTN 76.4

$0.5 BTN 41.99

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.7 BTN 59

$0.66 BTN 55.8

6.06%

Eggs

$2.07 BTN 175

$1.66 BTN 140

24.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.24 BTN 274

$4.91 BTN 415

-34.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 BTN 322

$3.18 BTN 268

20.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 BTN 364

$3.53 BTN 298

22.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 BTN 216

$4.01 BTN 338

-36.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 BTN 122

$2.39 BTN 202

-39.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 BTN 160

$2.35 BTN 198

-19.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 BTN 61.9

$0.84 BTN 71.3

-13.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 BTN 41.36

$0.5 BTN 42.5

-2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 BTN 47.35

$0.87 BTN 73.1

-35.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 BTN 35.93

$0.28 BTN 23.49

53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 BTN 26.49

$0.46 BTN 38.51

-32.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 BTN 313

$3.58 BTN 302

3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.45 BTN 291

$3.1 BTN 261

11.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 BTN 53

$0.82 BTN 69.3

-23.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 BTN 86.7

$1.35 BTN 114

-23.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BTN 150

$2.31 BTN 195

-22.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.89 BTN 328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 BTN 70.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 BTN 188

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 BTN 16.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 BTN 82

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

$23.2 BTN 1,959

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

$37.33 BTN 3,152

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.73 BTN 2,256

$17.21 BTN 1,453

55.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 BTN 4,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 BTN 644

Cinema Ticket

$3.46 BTN 292

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

$239 BTN 20.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$674 BTN 56.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.08 BTN 767

$26.19 BTN 2,211

-65.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.62 BTN 981

$11.74 BTN 991

-1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.9 BTN 2,693

$55.4 BTN 4,675

-42.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.17 BTN 2,716

$41.4 BTN 3,495

-22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 BTN 9,987

$104 BTN 8,761

14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.9 BTN 5,225

$93.5 BTN 7,895

-33.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 BTN 16.6K

$104 BTN 8,810

88.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 BTN 11.9K

$133 BTN 11.2K

6.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$593 BTN 50K

$3,428 BTN 289.4K

-82.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$114 BTN 9,625

$3,198 BTN 270K

-96.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 BTN 45.9K

$261 BTN 22K

108.39%

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: October 29, 2025

Last update for Punakha: October 27, 2025

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