Cost of Living Comparison Between Cox's Bazar and Dhaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Cox's Bazar and Dhaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $296 in Cox's Bazar versus $422 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $512 in Cox's Bazar versus $706 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $728 in Cox's Bazar versus $990 in Dhaka.

Living in Cox's Bazar costs roughly 30% less than in Dhaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cox's Bazar 78% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.59 ৳197

$2.52 ৳311

-36.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.43 ৳1,535

$12.47 ৳1,540

-0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.02 ৳373

$5.06 ৳625

-40.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 ৳712

$4.17 ৳514

38.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ৳300

$4.81 ৳594

-49.48%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ৳205

$2.23 ৳275

-25.56%

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

$0.38 ৳47.53

$0.34 ৳42.37

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ৳16.06

$0.16 ৳19.90

-18.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ৳89.8

$0.77 ৳94.8

-5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ৳58.0

$0.71 ৳87.3

-33.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.48 ৳59.7

$0.66 ৳81.5

-27.27%

Eggs

$1.01 ৳125

$1.24 ৳153

-18.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 ৳1,097

$6.62 ৳817

34.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.69 ৳208

$3.38 ৳417

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ৳868

$6.51 ৳803

7.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ৳283

$2.83 ৳349

-19.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 ৳119

$1.12 ৳139

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ৳200

$2.68 ৳331

-39.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.34 ৳42.44

$0.88 ৳109

-61.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.20 ৳24.40

$0.43 ৳53.5

-53.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ৳47.33

$0.79 ৳97.4

-51.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ৳50.5

$0.32 ৳40.06

28.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 ৳30.80

$0.28 ৳34.34

-10.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.74 ৳956

$12.07 ৳1,491

-35.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ৳311

$3.90 ৳481

-35.38%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ৳419

$6.90 ৳852

-50.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 ৳233

$3.04 ৳375

-37.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ৳27.18

$0.43 ৳53.0

-48.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.19 ৳1,259

$25.04 ৳3,092

-59.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 ৳37.13

$1.20 ৳149

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ৳43.98

$0.43 ৳52.8

-16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ৳309

$3.00 ৳371

-16.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ৳130

$1.08 ৳133

-1.85%

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

$32.6K ৳4.0M

$28.9K ৳3.6M

12.61%

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

$34.3K ৳4.2M

$27.8K ৳3.4M

23.29%

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

$12.45 ৳1,537

$32.13 ৳3,968

-61.25%

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

$2.59 ৳320

$4.70 ৳581

-44.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.58 ৳1,430

$13.30 ৳1,642

-12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.15 ৳1,994

$19.72 ৳2,435

-18.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.93 ৳1,473

$14.77 ৳1,824

-19.23%

Cinema Ticket

$2.42 ৳299

$4.20 ৳519

-42.38%

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

$25.10 ৳3,099

$47.52 ৳5,868

-47.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,356 ৳167.5K

$1,982 ৳244.8K

-31.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.51 ৳2,532

$18.58 ৳2,294

10.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.26 ৳2,254

$24.42 ৳3,016

-25.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.61 ৳4,026

$47.73 ৳5,894

-31.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.22 ৳4,102

$36.21 ৳4,471

-8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$68.9 ৳8,504

$117 ৳14.4K

-41.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$41.82 ৳5,164

$64.8 ৳7,995

-35.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 ৳38.4K

$314 ৳38.8K

-1.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.3 ৳12.1K

$186 ৳23.0K

-47.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$354 ৳43.7K

$1,538 ৳189.9K

-77.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$264 ৳32.6K

$753 ৳93.0K

-64.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ৳35.4K

$277 ৳34.2K

3.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

10.52

10.93%

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

Last update for Cox's Bazar: July 26, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $68.9 in Cox's Bazar and $117 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cox's Bazar pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Cox's Bazar vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $122 per month, with Cox's Bazar cheaper across the board.

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

Cox's Bazar vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cox's Bazar and Dhaka differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($296 vs $422 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Cox's Bazar, 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: $68.9 in Cox's Bazar versus $117 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cox's Bazar runs roughly 146% less than in Dhaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $25.10 in Cox's Bazar versus $47.52 in Dhaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Cox's Bazar 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.

Expats usually find Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.