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: $353 in Cox's Bazar versus $445 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $567 in Cox's Bazar versus $736 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $782 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,026 in Dhaka.

Living in Cox's Bazar costs roughly 21% less than in Dhaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cox's Bazar 74% lower, Dhaka 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.59 ৳195

$2.40 ৳295

-33.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.20 ৳1,497

$12.96 ৳1,590

-5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 ৳368

$4.94 ৳606

-39.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ৳326

$4.89 ৳600

-45.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ৳308

$4.16 ৳510

-39.66%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ৳247

$2.36 ৳290

-14.83%

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

$0.40 ৳48.49

$0.31 ৳37.81

29.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ৳15.17

$0.15 ৳18.56

-20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 ৳93.0

$0.78 ৳95.6

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ৳58.2

$0.62 ৳76.3

-24.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ৳78.0

$0.66 ৳81.4

-3.03%

Eggs

$1.04 ৳128

$1.19 ৳146

-12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 ৳887

$9.07 ৳1,113

-20.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.13 ৳262

$3.20 ৳392

-33.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 ৳895

$6.53 ৳801

11.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ৳287

$2.85 ৳350

-17.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ৳102

$0.93 ৳115

-10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ৳197

$2.40 ৳295

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ৳59.5

$0.67 ৳81.9

-26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ৳57.7

$0.25 ৳30.75

88.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ৳66.4

$0.48 ৳59.4

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ৳54.8

$0.34 ৳41.84

32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳36.30

$0.28 ৳34.15

7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.98 ৳979

$12.12 ৳1,488

-34.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ৳320

$5.39 ৳662

-51.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ৳548

$6.40 ৳785

-30.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.84 ৳225

$3.30 ৳405

-44.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ৳48.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.46 ৳2,756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 ৳35.73

$1.21 ৳148

-76.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ৳43.65

$0.39 ৳48.20

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ৳486

$3.30 ৳405

20.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ৳136

$1.07 ৳131

3.74%

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

$32.6K ৳4.0M

$29.5K ৳3.6M

10.33%

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

$34.4K ৳4.2M

$32.2K ৳4.0M

6.74%

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

$12.27 ৳1,506

$45.69 ৳5,606

-73.15%

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

$2.59 ৳318

$3.87 ৳474

-33.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 ৳1,413

$11.21 ৳1,376

2.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.14 ৳1,981

$16.39 ৳2,011

-1.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.14 ৳508

$15.31 ৳1,879

-72.96%

Cinema Ticket

$2.31 ৳283

$4.16 ৳510

-44.47%

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

$24.74 ৳3,036

$92.4 ৳11.3K

-73.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,440 ৳176.7K

$2,635 ৳323.3K

-45.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.92 ৳2,812

$17.02 ৳2,089

34.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.27 ৳2,242

$20.16 ৳2,474

-9.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.08 ৳4,059

$51.7 ৳6,344

-36.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.76 ৳4,265

$37.65 ৳4,620

-7.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 ৳19.7K

$156 ৳19.1K

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.2 ৳12.0K

$80.4 ৳9,862

22.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ৳38.0K

$451 ৳55.4K

-31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 ৳19.6K

$231 ৳28.3K

-30.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$352 ৳43.2K

$1,638 ৳201.0K

-78.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$259 ৳31.8K

$768 ৳94.2K

-66.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 ৳34.4K

$248 ৳30.5K

12.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

10.48

9.73%

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

Last update for Cox's Bazar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $160 in Cox's Bazar and $156 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cox's Bazar pays 13% 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 $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $107 vs $123 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 26% in total monthly costs ($353 vs $445 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $160 in Cox's Bazar versus $156 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Dhaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $353 per month in Cox's Bazar versus $445 in Dhaka – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 26% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.