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 $410 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $445 in Dhaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $686 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $736 in Dhaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $961 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $1,026 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) is about 8% cheaper than Dhaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chennai (Madras) and Dhaka are more affordable than the global median – Chennai (Madras) 70% lower, Dhaka 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 ₹197

$2.40 ৳295

-14.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.41 ₹1,190

$12.96 ৳1,590

-4.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 ₹389

$4.94 ৳606

-17.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 ৳600

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ৳510

Cappuccino

$1.73 ₹166

$2.36 ৳290

-26.69%

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

$0.37 ₹35.83

$0.31 ৳37.81

19.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.01

$0.15 ৳18.56

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 ₹155

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₹302

Milk (1 liter)

$0.57 ₹54.3

$0.78 ৳95.6

-26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.59

$0.62 ৳76.3

-17.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.4

$0.66 ৳81.4

9.09%

Eggs

$0.89 ₹85.1

$1.19 ৳146

-25.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.94 ₹570

$9.07 ৳1,113

-34.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ₹314

$3.20 ৳392

2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 ৳801

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 ₹268

$2.85 ৳350

-2.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.4

$0.93 ৳115

-10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ₹134

$2.40 ৳295

-41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.20

$0.67 ৳81.9

-37.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.31

$0.25 ৳30.75

88.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.93

$0.48 ৳59.4

-10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₹52.3

$0.34 ৳41.84

61.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.99

$0.28 ৳34.15

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.12 ৳1,488

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.39 ৳662

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 ৳785

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.16 ₹495

$3.30 ৳405

56.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 ₹699

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₹175

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₹269

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

$6.38 ₹612

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₹30.73

$0.40 ৳48.51

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.24 ₹982

$22.46 ৳2,756

-54.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₹101

$1.21 ৳148

-13.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.78

$0.39 ৳48.20

-10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ₹196

$3.30 ৳405

-38.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹108

$1.07 ৳131

5.61%

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

$15.0K ₹1.4M

$29.5K ৳3.6M

-49.24%

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

$19.9K ₹1.9M

$32.2K ৳4.0M

-38.23%

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

$38.51 ₹3,695

$45.69 ৳5,606

-15.71%

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

$4.09 ₹393

$3.87 ৳474

5.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.76 ₹744

$11.21 ৳1,376

-30.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.84 ₹1,423

$16.39 ৳2,011

-9.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₹661

$15.31 ৳1,879

-55.00%

Cinema Ticket

$2.55 ₹245

$4.16 ৳510

-38.70%

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

$91.1 ₹8,740

$92.4 ৳11.3K

-1.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,133 ₹204.6K

$2,635 ৳323.3K

-19.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.83 ₹1,903

$17.02 ৳2,089

16.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.95 ₹1,627

$20.16 ৳2,474

-15.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.36 ₹3,393

$51.7 ৳6,344

-31.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.89 ₹2,867

$37.65 ৳4,620

-20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ₹17.4K

$156 ৳19.1K

16.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 ₹9,634

$80.4 ৳9,862

24.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 ₹47.7K

$451 ৳55.4K

10.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₹29.4K

$231 ৳28.3K

32.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,971 ₹189.1K

$1,638 ৳201.0K

20.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 ₹76.3K

$768 ৳94.2K

3.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 ₹62.9K

$248 ৳30.5K

164.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.88

10.48

-5.73%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): September 14, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Chennai (Madras) versus $156 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 164% higher in Chennai (Madras), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Chennai (Madras) versus $13.00 in Dhaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $123 – 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

Dhaka costs about 9% more than Chennai (Madras), with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $615 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $668 in Dhaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chennai (Madras), 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 $410 in Chennai (Madras) and $445 in Dhaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 119% less in Chennai (Madras). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $410 in Chennai (Madras) and $445 in Dhaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chennai (Madras) costs $410 versus $445 in Dhaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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