Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $426 a month against $849 in Bintulu, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Bintulu
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Bintulu Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Bintulu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$849

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bintulu and in Dhaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bintulu and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $849 in Bintulu versus $426 in Dhaka.

Bintulu $849
Dhaka $426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,312 in Bintulu versus $735 in Dhaka.

Bintulu $1,312
Dhaka $735

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,775 in Bintulu versus $1,043 in Dhaka.

Bintulu $1,775
Dhaka $1,043

Living in Bintulu is roughly 99% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 37% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 MYR 16.13

$2.49 ৳305

58.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 MYR 75.3

$13.06 ৳1,604

41.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 MYR 23.63

$4.83 ৳594

19.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳504

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.20

$2.34 ৳287

27.78%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.59

$0.30 ৳37.38

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.16 ৳19.96

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 MYR 12.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 21.12

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 MYR 8.77

$0.80 ৳98.1

168.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.59

$0.65 ৳79.3

110.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.41

$0.71 ৳87.2

85.92%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.83

$1.21 ৳149

78.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.81 MYR 68.6

$8.67 ৳1,065

93.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 14.19

$3.21 ৳395

8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.90 MYR 24.11

$6.70 ৳823

-11.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$2.73 ৳335

-35.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.18

$0.88 ৳108

15.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.17

$2.37 ৳291

-25.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.60

$0.65 ৳79.5

73.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.24 ৳29.19

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$0.49 ৳60.6

142.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.84

$0.32 ৳38.87

115.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$0.30 ৳37.30

40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.07 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.51 ৳677

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 ৳818

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.08

$3.23 ৳396

29.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.74 MYR 80.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MYR 8.17

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.42 ৳52.1

185.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.62 MYR 67.9

$22.54 ৳2,769

-26.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.18

$1.19 ৳147

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 MYR 3.39

$0.40 ৳48.58

107.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 MYR 10.21

$3.35 ৳411

-25.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$1.15 ৳141

-45.22%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$44.5K MYR 181.7K

$30.3K ৳3.7M

46.88%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.5K MYR 157.0K

$33.0K ৳4.1M

16.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$59.2 MYR 242

$46.32 ৳5,690

27.85%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$4.33 ৳531

627.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.98 MYR 122

$10.63 ৳1,306

182.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.4 MYR 271

$16.37 ৳2,011

305.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.43 MYR 50.8

$16.14 ৳1,982

-22.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 MYR 17.67

$4.13 ৳508

4.84%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$124 MYR 508

$90.7 ৳11.1K

37.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,230 MYR 29.5K

$2,649 ৳325.4K

172.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 MYR 262

$16.48 ৳2,024

289.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.02 MYR 147

$21.00 ৳2,579

71.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 MYR 329

$50.3 ৳6,173

60.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 MYR 371

$36.46 ৳4,478

149.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 MYR 898

$152 ৳18.6K

45.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 MYR 642

$73.6 ৳9,041

113.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 MYR 1,979

$436 ৳53.5K

11.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 MYR 1,361

$214 ৳26.3K

55.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,730 MYR 7,062

$1,622 ৳199.2K

6.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 MYR 4,644

$761 ৳93.5K

49.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 MYR 2,441

$249 ৳30.6K

140.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

10.48

-57.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bintulu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Bintulu

$232 27.4%

Dhaka

$123 28.5% 47.3% $110

Accommodation & Living

Bintulu

$157 18.5%

Dhaka

$74 17.1% 53.2% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Bintulu

$122 14.4%

Dhaka

$56 13% 54.3% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bintulu

$121 14.2%

Dhaka

$61 14.3% 49.2% $59

Eating Out

Bintulu

$114 13.5%

Dhaka

$64 15% 43.7% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Bintulu

$75 8.9%

Dhaka

$25 5.7% 67.2% $50

Getting Around

Bintulu

$27 3.1%

Dhaka

$27 6.4% 3% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $220 in Bintulu and $152 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 140% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Bintulu vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Bintulu

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

11:29 11:29 AM

2 h behind Bintulu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

240,172

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.58 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bintulu Dhaka 3,340 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bintulu
Dhaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bintulu vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Bintulu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dhaka the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 140% higher in Bintulu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $220 in Bintulu versus $152 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $849 per month in Bintulu versus $426 in Dhaka – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 36% less than in Bintulu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dhaka gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bintulu and Dhaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Bintulu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.