Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $422 a month against $435 in Chennai (Madras), rent and utilities included – about $160 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chennai (Madras) outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Chennai (Madras)
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Chennai (Madras) Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Chennai (Madras)

🇮🇳 India

$435

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$422

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chennai (Madras) 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 Chennai (Madras) and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $435 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $422 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) $435
Dhaka $422

A couple spends around $725 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $728 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) $725
Dhaka $728

A family of three spends $1,016 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $1,033 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) $1,016
Dhaka $1,033

Chennai (Madras) costs about 3% more than Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chennai (Madras) and Dhaka are more affordable than the global median – Chennai (Madras) 68% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ₹193

$2.40 ৳298

-15.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.50 ₹1,187

$12.93 ৳1,609

-3.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ₹393

$4.78 ৳595

-13.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 ৳612

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ৳492

Cappuccino

$1.82 ₹173

$2.38 ৳296

-23.53%

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

$0.34 ₹31.87

$0.30 ৳37.22

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.18

$0.17 ৳21.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 ₹148

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ₹301

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ₹55.9

$0.79 ৳97.8

-25.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.05

$0.63 ৳78.6

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.3

$0.72 ৳89.4

-4.17%

Eggs

$0.88 ₹83.8

$1.18 ৳147

-25.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 ₹593

$8.73 ৳1,086

-28.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ₹296

$3.30 ৳410

-5.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 ৳827

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 ₹264

$2.80 ৳348

-0.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹78.4

$0.86 ৳107

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ₹132

$2.32 ৳288

-40.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.65

$0.61 ৳76.0

-29.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 ₹42.20

$0.23 ৳28.39

91.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.90

$0.48 ৳60.1

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.33 ৳41.37

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.42

$0.30 ৳37.69

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.23 ৳1,521

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.23 ৳651

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 ৳810

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 ₹486

$3.29 ৳409

55.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₹689

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₹176

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₹262

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

$6.71 ₹637

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₹31.72

$0.41 ৳51.4

-19.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.67 ₹1,013

$21.27 ৳2,646

-49.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹97.8

$1.18 ৳147

-12.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.90

$0.38 ৳47.33

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 ₹201

$3.27 ৳407

-35.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₹103

$1.16 ৳144

-6.03%

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

$11.1K ₹1.1M

$29.9K ৳3.7M

-62.79%

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

$20.1K ₹1.9M

$32.5K ৳4.0M

-38.19%

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

$38.28 ₹3,635

$46.86 ৳5,830

-18.31%

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

$3.96 ₹376

$4.31 ৳537

-8.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.75 ₹736

$11.09 ৳1,380

-30.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.18 ₹1,347

$17.52 ৳2,179

-19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 ₹630

$17.67 ৳2,198

-62.42%

Cinema Ticket

$2.28 ₹217

$4.31 ৳536

-47.10%

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

$87.7 ₹8,331

$139 ৳17.3K

-36.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,110 ₹200.4K

$2,570 ৳319.7K

-17.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.99 ₹1,898

$16.32 ৳2,031

22.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.11 ₹1,624

$19.36 ৳2,409

-11.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.44 ₹3,365

$45.97 ৳5,719

-22.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.77 ₹2,922

$36.74 ৳4,570

-16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₹18.0K

$145 ৳18.0K

31.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 ₹11.7K

$68.1 ৳8,474

80.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₹54.8K

$461 ৳57.3K

25.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ₹32.5K

$232 ৳28.9K

47.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,864 ₹177.0K

$1,575 ৳196.0K

18.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 ₹75.8K

$789 ৳98.2K

1.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 ₹62.9K

$245 ৳30.4K

170.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.99

10.67

-6.37%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): October 26, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chennai (Madras)

$123 28.3%

Dhaka

$68 16.1% 44.6% $55

Groceries & Markets

Chennai (Madras)

$115 26.5%

Dhaka

$122 29% 6.4% $7.3

Eating Out

Chennai (Madras)

$67 15.4%

Dhaka

$64 15.2% 4.1% $2.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chennai (Madras)

$50 11.5%

Dhaka

$62 14.8% 24.6% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Chennai (Madras)

$46 10.7%

Dhaka

$53 12.6% 14.6% $6.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chennai (Madras)

$19 4.3%

Dhaka

$26 6.2% 39.4% $7.4

Getting Around

Chennai (Madras)

$15 3.4%

Dhaka

$26 6.2% 78.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $190 in Chennai (Madras) versus $145 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 in Chennai (Madras) are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13 in Chennai (Madras) versus $13 in Dhaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $122 – making Chennai (Madras) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Chennai (Madras)

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

06:32 6:32 AM

07:02 7:02 AM

30 min ahead of Chennai (Madras)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,681,087

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.04 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.04 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chennai (Madras) Dhaka 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chennai (Madras)
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

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

Chennai (Madras) costs about 3% more than Dhaka, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $652 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $633 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $145 there versus $190 in Chennai (Madras).

Monthly expenses with rent come to $435 in Chennai (Madras) and $422 in Dhaka. That makes Dhaka about 3% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $88 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $139 in Dhaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $435 in Chennai (Madras) and $422 in Dhaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chennai (Madras) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $422 in Dhaka to $435 in Chennai (Madras). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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