Moving to Bhutan from Mongolia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Mongolia to Bhutan — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Mongolia to Bhutan, and you’d need to navigate life in Dzongkha. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Thimphu averages 72°F vs 44°F in Ulaanbaatar, making it significantly warmer.

Get free moving quotes to Bhutan

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Key Indicator Comparison

How Mongolia and Bhutan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

MN
5.9
BT
2.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MN
12.4
BT
12.2

Bhutan performs significantly better than Mongolia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MN
$1,109
BT
$677
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MN
38.7
BT
5.5

Mongolia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bhutan leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MN
120.0
BT
57.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MN
7.8t
BT
2.0t

Bhutan performs significantly better than Mongolia 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

MN
12.9
BT
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MN
3.4%
BT
1.4%

Mongolia generally does better on infrastructure, though Bhutan leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MN
6.1%
BT
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MN
$16,300
BT
$14,000

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MN
71.4 yrs
BT
72.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MN
20.2
BT
27.0

Mongolia generally does better on family life, though Bhutan leads in life expectancy.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ulaanbaatar Rain: 10.6 in/yr (270 mm)
44° / 21°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ulaanbaatar Thimphu
Jan–Mar 17°/-5°F (-9°/-21°C) 63°/33°F (17°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/37°F (17°/3°C) 76°/53°F (25°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 26°/6°F (-4°/-15°C) 68°/39°F (20°/4°C)
View all months
Month Ulaanbaatar Thimphu
Jan /-15°F (-15.5°/-26.1°C) 59°/28°F (15.1°/-2.1°C)
Feb 15°/-8°F (-9.6°/-22.3°C) 62°/33°F (16.7°/0.5°C)
Mar 31°/8°F (-0.6°/-13.6°C) 67°/39°F (19.4°/4.0°C)
Apr 49°/24°F (9.7°/-4.4°C) 72°/46°F (22.4°/7.8°C)
May 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) 76°/53°F (24.7°/11.5°C)
Jun 73°/49°F (22.7°/9.5°C) 80°/59°F (26.7°/15.2°C)
Jul 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.4°C)
Aug 72°/51°F (22.4°/10.5°C) 81°/61°F (27.2°/16.1°C)
Sep 62°/38°F (16.8°/3.5°C) 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.6°C)
Oct 46°/23°F (7.7°/-4.8°C) 74°/48°F (23.4°/9.0°C)
Nov 23°/4°F (-4.8°/-15.7°C) 67°/38°F (19.7°/3.2°C)
Dec /-10°F (-13.5°/-23.1°C) 62°/31°F (16.5°/-0.8°C)

Data: National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring of Mongolia National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring of Mongolia, National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mongolia 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.

Mongolia passport

Mongolia passport holder visiting Bhutan

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Mongolia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Bhutan.
Bhutan passport

Bhutan passport holder visiting Mongolia

Visa Required
Bhutan passport holders need a visa to enter Mongolia.

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?

With 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Bhutan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Mongolia and Bhutan.

Is Bhutan safe for expats?

Bhutan performs significantly better than Mongolia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bhutan is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.9 in Mongolia.

How is healthcare in Bhutan compared to Mongolia?

Mongolia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bhutan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Bhutan, compared to 38.7 in Mongolia. Bhutan scores 60 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mongolia: 65).

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

The average high temperature in Thimphu is 72°F, compared to 44°F in Ulaanbaatar. Thimphu receives around 23.3 in of rainfall per year, while Ulaanbaatar gets 10.6 in.

What language do they speak in Bhutan?

The official language in Bhutan is Dzongkha. In Mongolia, the official language is Mongolian.

Share this

At a Glance

MN BT
Population 3,227,863 867,775
Currency Mongolian Tugrik (MNT) Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN)
Languages Mongolian Dzongkha
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +976 +975
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 105