A few years ago, you could’ve been forgiven for thinking that Bhutan was an expensive country. After all, it cost hundreds of dollars simply to be able to enter.
Specifically, this broke down to a so-called “Sustainable Development Fee” of $250 per person, per day, plus a compulsory guided tour that cost as much. Well-to-do Westerners defended this in all kinds of ways, most of which were eyeroll-worthy.
But is Bhutan expensive, really? No, and it never has been. Having been myself after the country opened up to independent travel, I now know from my own experience what I suspected then: That the previous system was a scam and a racket.
Bhutan’s High Prices Are a Mirage
If you started researching the country before covid-19, you might’ve written it off (like I did, back then) due to a projected high Bhutan trip cost. After all, at that time, it not only cost $250 per person, per day just to get a visa; you needed to double that price in order to purchase the compulsory guided tour. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been anywhere worth spending 500 USD per day just to be!
Entering Bhutan in late 2024, it shocked me how cheap most everything was, from hotels, to taxis (including over long distances), to meals, to souvenirs. I struggled to spend more than 100 USD per day, in fact, which made me wonder why tour companies used to charge more than double that as a matter of standard practice. Probably sheer greed and dishonesty; Bhutan is ultimately a very cheap country.
The Top 5 Travel Expenses in Bhutan (and How Much They Cost)
Flights to Bhutan
Would you believe me if I told you that flights to Bhutan cost 500-1,000 USD round-trip per person, in spite of only nearby cities such as Bangkok, Delhi and Kathmandu being served? This is true, and explained mostly by the fact that it’s a monopoly: Only one airline (either DrukAir or Bhutan Airlines) serve each route.
SDF
Is Bhutan cheap? Well, having to pay $100 per person, per day to ensure “Sustainable Development” might seem like an expensive luxury when it’s essential an entrance fee for the country. However, this is a great deal cheaper than the $250 per day you had to pay prior to covid-19.
Ground transportation
In the end, I only ended up paying my taxi driver (whom I hired off the streets of Thimphu) about 30 USD per day to transport me, both long distances between cities, as well as to destinations within them. However, if you attempt to book rides via hotels (or, worse, via tour companies) expect to pay double or even triple this.
Accommodation
How much does Bhutan cost? Well, for hotels and other accommodations, not very much. While truly luxurious hotels may be priced at several hundred USD per night, even major city in Bhutan is home to at least a few three- and four-star hotels costing under 100 USD per day, and sometimes even less.
Food and shopping
I didn’t spend much money on foot in Bhutan because frankly, most of it disgusted me. I generally only ate Indian, Nepali and Tibetan cuisine, which is cheap in Bhutan (~10 USD or less per meal), just as it is in those countries. I also didn’t buy many souvenirs, but found all the ones I did buy reasonably priced.
My Top Secret to an Affordable Bhutan Trip
Transportation was my biggest stressor prior to arrive in Bhutan. Not knowing whether independent tourists could ride in airport taxis (tl;dr: we can!), I arranged a transfer with my hotel in Thimphu. Or at least I tried to do so. Up until about 12 hours before my flight, the hotel staff completely ghosted me. I didn’t know what to do, I even briefly considered pulling the plug on the entire trip.
As it turns out, however, getting around in Bhutan is not stressful at all, nor is it a big component of the Bhutan travel cost. On my second day in Thimphu, you see, I approached a taxi driver for a ride up to Dordenma Buddha. Returning to the city, I asked him if he could take me to Punakha; he agreed to do so for a very fair rate, and actually ended up driving me around Bhutan for three full days in total.
Other FAQ About the Cost of Travel in Bhutan
How much does a 7 day trip to Bhutan cost?
Not including flights, it’s possible to take a 7-day trip to Bhutan for as little as $1,400 per person as of 2025. This includes 100 USD per person, per day for the SDF, and then an additional 100 USD for hotels, transportation, meals and entry fees. Staying in nicer hotels and hiring guides is the main source of price increase. Do also note that flights to Bhutan are very expensive, usually a minimum of 500 USD per person, round-trip/
Does it still cost $250 to visit Bhutan?
No. As of 2025, the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) to enter Bhutan has been reduced to $100 per person, per day. Secondarily to this, it no longer required that you book an organized tour (which typically at least doubled the cost of the SDF), meaning that visiting Bhutan now costs a fraction of what it did just a few years ago.
Is Bhutan worth the price?
Bhutan is more or less worth the price it costs to visit, in the mid-2020s, as an independent tourist. However, if I’d visited before covid-19 and paid a $250-per-day SDF (plus at least as much per day to take part in an organized tour I didn’t want), I’d have left feeling ripped off.
The Bottom Line
Is Bhutan expensive? No, not in the era of independent travel—and not ever, really, if we’re being honest. Decades of predatory entry fees and parochial guided tour requirements misled foreigners into believing that Bhutan was an expensive country—and, in some cases, that it was a rich country. And unfortunately, because so many rich people are wealthier in cash than they are in brain cells, many well-heeled prospective Bhutan travelers bought this hook, link and sinker. Bhutan isn’t expensive, though, and that’s the good news? The better news? If you hire me as your Travel Coach, I’ll ensure that you take the perfect trip.
