Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Bhutan Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Bhutan

Name: Bhutan
Address: BT

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,642 per month in United States vs $202 in Bhutan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $313 in Bhutan, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in United States vs $424 in Bhutan, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 1208% higher than in Bhutan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 98% above the global median, while Bhutan is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$2.87 BTN 242

583.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$17.49 BTN 1,477

331.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$3.41 BTN 288

239.30%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$1.41 BTN 119

270.21%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.48 BTN 40.11

418.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.17 BTN 14.34

1111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.90 BTN 245

103.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$2.34 BTN 198

204.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.86 BTN 72.4

26.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.81 BTN 68.5

339.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$0.67 BTN 56.6

607.46%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$1.96 BTN 165

121.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$3.19 BTN 269

297.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$3.60 BTN 304

241.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$4.28 BTN 362

287.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.82 BTN 238

82.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.68 BTN 142

1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.15 BTN 182

106.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$0.90 BTN 76.0

433.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.55 BTN 46.40

432.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.67 BTN 56.4

361.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.39 BTN 32.97

469.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.41 BTN 34.37

448.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$3.84 BTN 325

157.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$3.05 BTN 258

400.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.75 BTN 63.0

154.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.14 BTN 96.4

214.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.08 BTN 176

18.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$3.92 BTN 331

1548.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$0.85 BTN 71.9

343.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.29 BTN 193

-25.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$0.15 BTN 12.64

19953.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.96 BTN 80.8

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$19.3K BTN 1.6M

54.98%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.8K BTN 2.1M

5.39%

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

$210 $210

$22.94 BTN 1,937

815.95%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$37.07 BTN 3,129

51.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$23.00 BTN 1,942

216.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$48.83 BTN 4,122

-7.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$6.10 BTN 515

254.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$3.45 BTN 291

306.96%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$242 BTN 20.4K

469.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$665 BTN 56.1K

3264.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$20.30 BTN 1,714

159.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$11.71 BTN 988

262.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$48.46 BTN 4,091

89.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$38.75 BTN 3,271

193.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$103 BTN 8,725

1607.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$67.9 BTN 5,729

2055.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$173 BTN 14.6K

1548.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$137 BTN 11.5K

1634.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$5,481 BTN 462.7K

-38.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$1,689 BTN 142.6K

57.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$425 BTN 35.9K

930.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

10.75

-39.44%

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

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bhutan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $83.0 in Bhutan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,625 in Washington, MI and $114 in Thimphu.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $393 in Bhutan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1870% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 1725% more in United States.

Public transport is 2400% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 1045% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Bhutan.

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

United States vs Bhutan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bhutan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 1326% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Bhutan, contributing to the overall 1326% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Bhutan, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Bhutan is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.