Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Dhaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Dhaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $475 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $416 in Dhaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $741 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $705 in Dhaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,007 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $995 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) costs about 14% more than Dhaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chennai (Madras) and Dhaka are more affordable than the global median – Chennai (Madras) 64% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 ₹221

$2.50 ৳309

-8.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.59 ₹1,116

$12.59 ৳1,552

-7.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₹395

$4.98 ৳614

-17.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ৳491

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ৳590

Cappuccino

$2.16 ₹208

$2.20 ৳271

-1.82%

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

$0.49 ₹47.17

$0.34 ৳42.36

44.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.45

$0.19 ৳23.65

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ₹199

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ₹393

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ₹56.4

$0.82 ৳101

-28.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.76

$0.70 ৳86.6

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.6

$0.65 ৳80.2

18.46%

Eggs

$0.87 ₹84.1

$1.26 ৳155

-30.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.08 ₹681

$6.97 ৳859

1.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₹344

$3.39 ৳417

5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 ৳794

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 ₹273

$2.84 ৳350

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 ₹82.7

$1.12 ৳139

-23.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₹122

$2.55 ৳314

-50.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹46.34

$0.90 ৳111

-46.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹53.0

$0.43 ৳53.0

27.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.83 ৳103

-34.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₹52.7

$0.33 ৳40.31

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.48

$0.30 ৳37.46

10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.03 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 ৳482

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 ৳879

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ₹391

$2.99 ৳369

35.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 ₹687

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₹174

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₹336

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.08 ₹585

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₹32.57

$0.43 ৳52.8

-20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 ₹1,115

$24.18 ৳2,980

-52.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₹148

$1.21 ৳149

27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹29.18

$0.43 ৳52.9

-30.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ₹163

$3.15 ৳388

-46.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹113

$1.03 ৳127

14.56%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$29.3K ৳3.6M

-41.08%

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

$23.8K ₹2.3M

$28.4K ৳3.5M

-16.39%

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

$47.66 ₹4,589

$32.72 ৳4,033

45.66%

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

$4.90 ₹472

$4.78 ৳589

2.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.78 ₹941

$13.15 ৳1,621

-25.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.77 ₹1,710

$19.26 ৳2,374

-7.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 ₹686

$14.25 ৳1,757

-50.04%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 ₹276

$3.99 ৳492

-28.07%

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

$79.5 ₹7,652

$48.08 ৳5,926

65.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,738 ₹167.3K

$1,996 ৳246.0K

-12.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.12 ₹2,515

$18.81 ৳2,319

38.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.16 ₹2,229

$23.73 ৳2,925

-2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.19 ₹4,736

$46.25 ৳5,700

6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.39 ₹3,504

$36.71 ৳4,524

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₹18.8K

$118 ৳14.5K

65.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ₹11.1K

$63.3 ৳7,800

81.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 ₹42.4K

$309 ৳38.0K

42.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 ₹25.0K

$190 ৳23.4K

36.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,817 ₹174.9K

$1,569 ৳193.3K

15.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$793 ₹76.3K

$764 ৳94.2K

3.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 ₹72.6K

$278 ৳34.2K

171.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.42

10.52

-10.46%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): July 12, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in Chennai (Madras) versus $118 in Dhaka. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 171% higher in Chennai (Madras), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Chennai (Madras) versus $13.00 in Dhaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $122 vs $124 – making Chennai (Madras) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chennai (Madras) vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chennai (Madras) costs about 14% more than Dhaka, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $712 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $623 in Dhaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhaka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $475 in Chennai (Madras) and $416 in Dhaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 109% less in Dhaka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $475 in Chennai (Madras) and $416 in Dhaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dhaka costs $416 versus $475 in Chennai (Madras). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Dhaka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chennai (Madras) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.