Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Bandung
For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $426 a month against $641 in Bandung, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dhaka and in Bandung actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Dhaka versus $641 in Bandung.
Dhaka $426
Bandung $641
Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Dhaka versus $947 in Bandung.
Dhaka $735
Bandung $947
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,043 in Dhaka versus $1,252 in Bandung.
Dhaka $1,043
Bandung $1,252
🌍
Living in Dhaka costs roughly 34% less than in Bandung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka68% lower, Bandung52% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.49৳305
$1.42Rp 25.4K
75.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.06৳1,604
$14.13Rp 252.5K
-7.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.83৳594
$3.31Rp 59.1K
45.92%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.93৳606
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.10৳504
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.34৳287
$1.48Rp 26.5K
58.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30৳37.38
$0.47Rp 8,397
-36.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16৳19.96
$0.22Rp 3,921
-27.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.09Rp 55.1K
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.99Rp 53.5K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.80৳98.1
$1.13Rp 20.1K
-29.20%
White Bread(500g)
$0.65৳79.3
$0.99Rp 17.7K
-34.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.71৳87.2
$0.88Rp 15.7K
-19.32%
Eggs
$1.21৳149
$1.47Rp 26.3K
-17.69%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.67৳1,065
$7.36Rp 131.6K
17.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.21৳395
$2.81Rp 50.3K
14.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.70৳823
$7.75Rp 138.6K
-13.55%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73৳335
$2.19Rp 39.1K
24.66%
Banana(1kg)
$0.88৳108
$1.07Rp 19.1K
-17.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.37৳291
$1.50Rp 26.8K
58.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.65৳79.5
$0.96Rp 17.1K
-32.29%
Potato(1kg)
$0.24৳29.19
$1.10Rp 19.6K
-78.18%
Onion(1kg)
$0.49৳60.6
$1.95Rp 34.8K
-74.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.32৳38.87
$0.70Rp 12.5K
-54.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30৳37.30
$0.43Rp 7,728
-30.23%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$12.07৳1,483
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.51৳677
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.66৳818
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.23৳396
$2.62Rp 46.9K
23.28%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$22.77Rp 407.0K
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.82Rp 32.6K
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.18Rp 56.8K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.42৳52.1
$0.27Rp 4,788
55.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.54৳2,769
$9.61Rp 171.7K
134.55%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.19৳147
$0.86Rp 15.3K
38.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.40৳48.58
$0.55Rp 9,771
-27.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.35৳411
$2.23Rp 39.8K
50.22%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15৳141
$0.90Rp 16.1K
27.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K৳3.7M
$21.1KRp 376.3M
43.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K৳4.1M
$29.2KRp 522.8M
12.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$46.32৳5,690
$33.58Rp 600.2K
37.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.33৳531
$4.25Rp 75.9K
1.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.63৳1,306
$19.25Rp 344.1K
-44.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.37৳2,011
$18.05Rp 322.6K
-9.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.14৳1,982
$6.00Rp 107.3K
169.00%
Cinema Ticket
$4.13৳508
$2.84Rp 50.8K
45.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$90.7৳11.1K
$95.7Rp 1.7M
-5.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,649৳325.4K
$8,240Rp 147.3M
-67.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.48৳2,024
$39.08Rp 698.5K
-57.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.00৳2,579
$32.18Rp 575.3K
-34.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$50.3৳6,173
$76.5Rp 1.4M
-34.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.46৳4,478
$69.5Rp 1.2M
-47.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$152৳18.6K
$214Rp 3.8M
-29.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$73.6৳9,041
$178Rp 3.2M
-58.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$436৳53.5K
$381Rp 6.8M
14.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$214৳26.3K
$266Rp 4.8M
-19.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,622৳199.2K
$725Rp 13.0M
123.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$761৳93.5K
$312Rp 5.6M
143.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Bandung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$249৳30.6K
$281Rp 5.0M
-11.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.48
11.38
-7.91%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Dhaka: October 4, 2026
Last update for Bandung: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
$123 28.5%
Bandung
$194 30.9% ↑ 58.5%$72
🏠Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$74 17.1%
Bandung
$178 28.4% ↑ 142%$105
🍽Eating Out
Dhaka
$64 15%
Bandung
$63 10.1% ↓ 1.6%$1
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$61 14.3%
Bandung
$57 9.1% ↓ 6.9%$4.2
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$56 13%
Bandung
$98 15.6% ↑ 75%$42
🚌Getting Around
Dhaka
$27 6.4%
Bandung
$14 2.3% ↓ 47.9%$13
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$25 5.7%
Bandung
$24 3.8% ↓ 3.7%$0.9
🛒Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
$302 29.6%
Bandung
$421 34% ↑ 39.5%$119
🏠Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$214 21%
Bandung
$266 21.5% ↑ 24.6%$53
🍽Eating Out
Dhaka
$193 18.9%
Bandung
$189 15.3% ↓ 2%$3.9
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$66 6.4%
Bandung
$61 5% ↓ 6.5%$4.3
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$124 12.2%
Bandung
$217 17.6% ↑ 75%$93
🚌Getting Around
Dhaka
$56 5.5%
Bandung
$29 2.4% ↓ 47.8%$27
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$65 6.4%
Bandung
$53 4.3% ↓ 18.3%$12
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $152 in Dhaka and $214 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bandung pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $13.00 in Dhaka vs $14.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $194 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.
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
Dhaka vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dhaka or Bandung?
Dhaka wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dhaka the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Dhaka or in Bandung?
On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Bandung. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dhaka compared to Bandung?
Rent for a central apartment: $152 in Dhaka versus $214 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Dhaka or in Bandung?
Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Dhaka and in Bandung?
Dining out is cheaper in Dhaka – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $14.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Dhaka or in Bandung?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dhaka or Bandung?
Both work as nomad bases, but Dhaka delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dhaka hard to pass up.
How safe is Dhaka compared to Bandung?
Safety-wise, Dhaka and Bandung 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.