Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Davao and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $794 in Davao, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Davao
🇵🇭 Philippines
$794
/mo nomad
Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $794 in Davao versus $406 in Dhaka.

  • Davao $794
  • Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,225 in Davao versus $687 in Dhaka.

  • Davao $1,225
  • Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,656 in Davao versus $969 in Dhaka.

  • Davao $1,656
  • Dhaka $969

Living in Davao is roughly 96% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Davao 41% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.81 ₱303
$2.28 ৳282
110.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.69 ₱1,681
$12.33 ৳1,523
116.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.94 ₱248
$3.95 ৳488
-0.25%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.48 ৳554
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.13 ৳510
-
Cappuccino
$2.71 ₱170
$2.28 ৳281
18.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 ₱65.3
$0.33 ৳40.88
215.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₱42.97
$0.16 ৳19.86
325.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.61 ₱102
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 ₱147
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 ₱126
$0.85 ৳104
136.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 ₱71.0
$0.60 ৳74.5
88.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 ₱58.4
$0.69 ৳85.4
34.78%
Eggs
$1.88 ₱119
$1.23 ৳152
52.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.52 ₱411
$8.80 ৳1,087
-25.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.85 ₱306
$3.33 ৳412
45.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.18 ₱578
$6.63 ৳819
38.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 ₱170
$2.85 ৳352
-5.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 ₱69.3
$0.90 ৳111
22.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$2.34 ৳289
0.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.15 ₱72.6
$0.63 ৳78.4
82.54%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 ₱127
$0.24 ৳29.59
741.67%
Onion (1kg)
$3.53 ₱222
$0.46 ৳57.3
667.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 ₱76.1
$0.35 ৳42.79
245.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₱42.61
$0.28 ৳34.24
142.86%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$12.11 ৳1,496
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$5.31 ৳656
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.42 ৳794
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.42 ₱152
$3.28 ৳405
-26.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.77 ₱489
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 ₱78.2
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₱106
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 ₱21.73
$0.42 ৳52.3
-16.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.58 ₱855
$22.43 ৳2,772
-39.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 ₱51.2
$1.19 ৳147
-31.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.41
$0.39 ৳48.71
-41.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.95 ₱123
$3.28 ৳406
-40.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 ₱80.5
$1.10 ৳136
16.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ₱1.3M
$29.4K ৳3.6M
-28.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.9K ₱1.2M
$32.2K ৳4.0M
-41.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$106 ₱6,688
$38.28 ৳4,729
177.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.39 ₱1,221
$4.09 ৳506
374.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.90 ₱2,009
$9.02 ৳1,114
253.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.90 ₱2,135
$13.66 ৳1,688
148.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.61 ₱228
$10.21 ৳1,261
-64.64%
Cinema Ticket
$4.70 ₱296
$4.11 ৳508
14.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$107 ₱6,766
$90.7 ৳11.2K
18.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,555 ₱475.7K
$2,591 ৳320.2K
191.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.2 ₱3,852
$17.06 ৳2,108
258.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.84 ₱1,942
$21.38 ৳2,641
44.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.5 ₱4,502
$51.4 ৳6,355
39.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.5 ₱3,935
$36.78 ৳4,545
69.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$280 ₱17.6K
$133 ৳16.4K
110.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$172 ₱10.8K
$65.1 ৳8,041
163.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$629 ₱39.6K
$377 ৳46.6K
66.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$320 ₱20.1K
$192 ৳23.8K
66.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,640 ₱103.2K
$1,621 ৳200.3K
1.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,429 ₱90.0K
$760 ৳93.9K
88.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Davao
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$214 ₱13.5K
$246 ৳30.4K
-13.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.31
10.48
-20.71%

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

Last update for Davao: October 13, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Davao
$200
Dhaka
$124 38.3% $77
Accommodation & Living
Davao
$172
Dhaka
$65 62.1% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Davao
$158
Dhaka
$51 67.4% $106
Eating Out
Davao
$102
Dhaka
$59 42% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Davao
$102
Dhaka
$57 44% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Davao
$43
Dhaka
$22 49.5% $21
Getting Around
Davao
$17
Dhaka
$27 61.3% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Davao and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Davao vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $124 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Davao
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🕒 Local time
05:01 5:01 AM
03:01 3:01 AM
2 h behind Davao
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,632,991
21,741,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Davao Dhaka 4,190 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Davao
  • 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
Davao vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Davao?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Davao or Dhaka?
On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Dhaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Davao and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Davao versus $133 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Davao or in Dhaka?
Dining out is cheaper in Dhaka – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $27.00 in Davao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Davao and in Dhaka?
All in, you'll spend $794 per month in Davao versus $406 in Dhaka – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Davao or Dhaka?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dhaka gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Davao or Dhaka more family-friendly?
For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Davao, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Davao or Dhaka?
Safety-wise, Davao and Dhaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Davao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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