Moving to Bhutan from Pakistan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Pakistan to Bhutan, and you’d need to navigate life in Dzongkha. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Thimphu averages 72°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Pakistan to Bhutan, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
21 ↓ 5% vs 2015

people born in Pakistan 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

How Pakistan 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

PK
4.2
BT
2.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PK
11.9
BT
12.2

Pakistan generally does better on safety, though Bhutan leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PK
$152
BT
$677
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PK
10.8
BT
5.5

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bhutan leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PK
105.0
BT
57.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
BT
2.0t

Pakistan generally does better on environment, though Bhutan leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PK
1.3
BT
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PK
162.1%
BT
1.4%

Pakistan 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

PK
5.5%
BT
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$5,600
BT
$14,000

Pakistan generally does better on employment & economy, though Bhutan leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PK
69.7 yrs
BT
72.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
54.0
BT
27.0

Bhutan performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Islamabad Rain: 49.1 in/yr (1247 mm)
84° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Islamabad Thimphu
Jan–Mar 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) 63°/33°F (17°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) 76°/53°F (25°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) 68°/39°F (20°/4°C)
View all months
Month Islamabad Thimphu
Jan 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) 59°/28°F (15.1°/-2.1°C)
Feb 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) 62°/33°F (16.7°/0.5°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) 67°/39°F (19.4°/4.0°C)
Apr 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) 72°/46°F (22.4°/7.8°C)
May 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) 76°/53°F (24.7°/11.5°C)
Jun 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) 80°/59°F (26.7°/15.2°C)
Jul 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.4°C)
Aug 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) 81°/61°F (27.2°/16.1°C)
Sep 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.6°C)
Oct 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) 74°/48°F (23.4°/9.0°C)
Nov 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) 67°/38°F (19.7°/3.2°C)
Dec 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) 62°/31°F (16.5°/-0.8°C)

Data: National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan 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.

Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting Bhutan

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

Bhutan passport holder visiting Pakistan

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

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 Pakistan and Bhutan.

Is Bhutan safe for expats?

Pakistan generally does better on safety, though Bhutan leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Bhutan is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.

How is healthcare in Bhutan compared to Pakistan?

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bhutan leads in health coverage index. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Bhutan, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. Bhutan scores 60 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).

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

The average high temperature in Thimphu is 72°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Thimphu receives around 23.3 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.

What language do they speak in Bhutan?

The official language in Bhutan is Dzongkha. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.

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At a Glance

PK BT
Population 242,923,845 867,775
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN)
Languages English, Urdu Dzongkha
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +92 +975
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 15