Thimphu at a glance
- Thimphu is the most expensive of Bhutan's 9 priced cities: $330 a month in essentials, 33% above Trashigang at $248.
- The average net salary of $380 covers that 1.2×.
- 114.7 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at dzongkhag level.
- PM2.5 averages 8.6 µg/m³ a year, 2× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 9 Bhutan cities we track, so every row says whether Thimphu is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $330 | $281 | $49 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $125 | $94 | 1.33× as much |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $210 | $158 | 1.33× as much |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $78 | $70 | $8 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $69 | $62 | $7 |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $40 | $38 | $2 |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $18 | $17 | $1 |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $380 | $304 | 1.25× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $280 | $210 | 1.33× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $420 | $315 | 1.33× as much |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Thimphu, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $3.00 | $2.70 | $0.30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $16.00 | $14.40 | $1.60 |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $5.50 | $4.95 | $0.55 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $2.50 | $2.25 | $0.25 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $0.60 | $0.54 | $0.06 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $0.35 | $0.32 | $0.03 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.10 | $0.99 | $0.11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $0.90 | $0.81 | $0.09 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $0.95 | $0.85 | $0.10 |
| Eggs, 12 | $1.80 | $1.62 | $0.18 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $6.50 | $5.85 | $0.65 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $4.50 | $4.05 | $0.45 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $2.40 | $2.16 | $0.24 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $1.20 | $1.08 | $0.12 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $1.10 | $0.99 | $0.11 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $0.60 | $0.54 | $0.06 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $0.80 | $0.72 | $0.08 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.50 | $0.45 | $0.05 |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $0.35 | $0.33 | $0.02 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $18.00 | $17.10 | $0.90 |
| Taxi start | $1.50 | $1.42 | $0.08 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $0.80 | $0.76 | $0.04 |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.15 | $1.09 | $0.06 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $25.00 | $23.75 | $1.25 |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $15.00 | $14.25 | $0.75 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $4.00 | $3.80 | $0.20 |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $20.00 | $18.00 | $2.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $4.00 | $3.60 | $0.40 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Thimphu has 114.7 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (dzongkhag level). That is the 7th-highest of 9 Bhutan cities we track. Bhutan's national figure is 119.4, so Thimphu runs 5 below the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Thimphu ranks against every city we track
Thimphu sits ahead of 94% of the 998 cities we track on cost of living. On city-centre rent it is ahead of 91% of 1010. Its weakest measure is women aged 20–39, ahead of only 7% of 1001.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Thimphu sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
Put Thimphu on the board
Ratio, cost and visa for Thimphu beside every other city we measure. Free, no sign-in.
Open Thimphu in the research deskOr unlock the Bhutan deep-dive: visa, tax, scams, and the sub-national map.
Photo: Dirk, CC BY 2.0.
Data updated