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

😐 Solo nomad: Thimphu is 74% more expensive than Punakha without rent, and 46.3% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Thimphu is 74.8% more expensive than Punakha without rent, and 67.9% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 BTN 267

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.45 BTN 1,583

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.57 BTN 324

Cappuccino

$1.41 BTN 128

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

$0.48 BTN 43.59

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 15.34

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 BTN 272

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 BTN 206

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 BTN 74.1

$0.83 BTN 75.7

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 BTN 87.1

$0.53 BTN 48.37

81.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 BTN 65.9

$0.66 BTN 59.6

10.61%

Eggs

$2.08 BTN 188

$1.71 BTN 155

21.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.25 BTN 295

$4.83 BTN 438

-32.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 BTN 354

$3.02 BTN 274

29.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.20 BTN 381

$3.46 BTN 314

21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 BTN 225

$3.98 BTN 361

-37.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 BTN 133

$2.27 BTN 206

-35.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BTN 167

$2.39 BTN 217

-23.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 BTN 69.9

$0.80 BTN 72.4

-3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 BTN 44.52

$0.54 BTN 48.77

-9.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 BTN 51.3

$0.89 BTN 80.7

-37.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 41.38

$0.28 BTN 25.07

64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 BTN 28.92

$0.49 BTN 44.47

-34.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 BTN 349

$3.41 BTN 309

12.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.24 BTN 294

$3.04 BTN 276

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 BTN 56.6

$0.81 BTN 73.7

-23.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BTN 94.0

$1.38 BTN 125

-24.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 BTN 161

$2.27 BTN 206

-22.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.93 BTN 356

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 BTN 80.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 BTN 209

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 BTN 16.83

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 BTN 81.2

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

$23.17 BTN 2,102

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

$38.16 BTN 3,463

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.42 BTN 2,398

$17.19 BTN 1,560

53.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.86 BTN 4,433

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.36 BTN 668

Cinema Ticket

$3.56 BTN 323

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

$242 BTN 21.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$657 BTN 59.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.06 BTN 822

$26.37 BTN 2,392

-65.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.71 BTN 1,063

$11.44 BTN 1,038

2.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.32 BTN 2,933

$55.8 BTN 5,065

-42.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.40 BTN 2,940

$40.58 BTN 3,682

-20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 BTN 10.4K

$105 BTN 9,557

8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.9 BTN 5,800

$94.8 BTN 8,601

-32.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 BTN 18.1K

$103 BTN 9,377

93.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 BTN 12.4K

$133 BTN 12.0K

3.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$573 BTN 52.0K

$3,346 BTN 303.6K

-82.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$111 BTN 10.1K

$3,090 BTN 280.4K

-96.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$525 BTN 47.7K

$258 BTN 23.4K

103.93%

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: January 11, 2026

Last update for Punakha: January 13, 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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