Moving to Bhutan from India

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from India to Bhutan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from India to Bhutan, and you’d need to navigate life in Dzongkha. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Thimphu averages 72°F vs 88°F in Delhi, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from India to Bhutan.

Living there in 2020
46,974 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in India live in Bhutan · UN DESA

Who's moving to Bhutan?

Top countries of origin for Bhutan's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Bhutan compared to India.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IN
2.8
BT
2.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IN
15.4
BT
12.2

Bhutan performs significantly better than India across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IN
$346
BT
$677
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IN
7.3
BT
5.5

India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bhutan leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IN
83.0
BT
57.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IN
2.2t
BT
2.0t

Bhutan performs significantly better than India across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IN
2.4
BT
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IN
66.5%
BT
1.4%

Bhutan generally does better on infrastructure, though India leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IN
4.2%
BT
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IN
$9,200
BT
$14,000

Bhutan generally does better on employment & economy, though India leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IN
67.2 yrs
BT
72.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IN
30.3
BT
27.0

Bhutan generally does better on family life, though India leads in literacy rate.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Delhi Rain: 28.2 in/yr (716 mm)
88° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

Thimphu Rain: 23.3 in/yr (591 mm)
72° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Delhi Thimphu
Jan–Mar 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) 63°/33°F (17°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) 76°/53°F (25°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) 68°/39°F (20°/4°C)
View all months
Month Delhi Thimphu
Jan 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) 59°/28°F (15.1°/-2.1°C)
Feb 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) 62°/33°F (16.7°/0.5°C)
Mar 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) 67°/39°F (19.4°/4.0°C)
Apr 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) 72°/46°F (22.4°/7.8°C)
May 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) 76°/53°F (24.7°/11.5°C)
Jun 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) 80°/59°F (26.7°/15.2°C)
Jul 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.4°C)
Aug 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) 81°/61°F (27.2°/16.1°C)
Sep 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.6°C)
Oct 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) 74°/48°F (23.4°/9.0°C)
Nov 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) 67°/38°F (19.7°/3.2°C)
Dec 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) 62°/31°F (16.5°/-0.8°C)

Data: India Meteorological Department India Meteorological Department, National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between India and Bhutan. To live, work, or study long-term in Bhutan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Bhutan's immigration authority.

India passport

India passport holder visiting Bhutan

Visa Free
India passport holders can enter Bhutan without a visa.
Bhutan passport

Bhutan passport holder visiting India

Visa Free
Bhutan passport holders can enter India without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Bhutan?

Connectivity is usually fine (Bhutan: 0.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Bhutan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Bhutan safe for expats?

Bhutan performs significantly better than India across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bhutan is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.8 in India.

How is healthcare in Bhutan compared to India?

India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bhutan leads in suicide rate. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Bhutan, compared to 7.3 in India. Bhutan scores 60 on the WHO universal health coverage index (India: 63).

What's the weather like in Bhutan compared to India?

The average high temperature in Thimphu is 72°F, compared to 88°F in Delhi. Thimphu receives around 23.3 in of rainfall per year, while Delhi gets 28.2 in.

What language do they speak in Bhutan?

The official language in Bhutan is Dzongkha. In India, the official languages are English, Hindi and Tamil.

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At a Glance

IN BT
Population 1,389,637,446 867,775
Currency Indian Rupee (₹) Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN)
Languages English, Hindi, Tamil Dzongkha
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +91 +975
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112