For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $958 in Bangi, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 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 Bangi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $958 in Bangi.
Dhaka $406
Bangi $958
Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,339 in Bangi.
Dhaka $687
Bangi $1,339
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $1,721 in Bangi.
Dhaka $969
Bangi $1,721
🌍
Living in Dhaka costs roughly 58% less than in Bangi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka70% lower, Bangi29% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.28৳282
$3.40MYR 13.85
-32.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.33৳1,523
$13.21MYR 53.9
-6.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.95৳488
$3.09MYR 12.60
27.83%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.48৳554
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.13৳510
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.28৳281
$2.88MYR 11.76
-20.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33৳40.88
$0.82MYR 3.36
-59.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16৳19.86
$0.59MYR 2.41
-72.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.47MYR 18.22
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.20MYR 25.30
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.85৳104
$1.55MYR 6.32
-45.16%
White Bread(500g)
$0.60৳74.5
$0.76MYR 3.09
-21.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.69৳85.4
$1.48MYR 6.06
-53.38%
Eggs
$1.23৳152
$1.68MYR 6.86
-26.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.80৳1,087
$18.07MYR 73.7
-51.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.33৳412
$4.67MYR 19.07
-28.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.63৳819
$10.53MYR 42.96
-37.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.85৳352
$3.32MYR 13.54
-14.16%
Banana(1kg)
$0.90৳111
$1.75MYR 7.13
-48.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.34৳289
$3.95MYR 16.13
-40.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.63৳78.4
$1.62MYR 6.63
-61.11%
Potato(1kg)
$0.24৳29.59
$1.48MYR 6.05
-83.78%
Onion(1kg)
$0.46৳57.3
$1.65MYR 6.74
-72.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.35৳42.79
$1.32MYR 5.38
-73.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28৳34.24
$0.52MYR 2.12
-46.15%
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)
$3.28৳405
$4.33MYR 17.68
-24.25%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$14.00MYR 57.1
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.84MYR 11.58
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.13MYR 12.78
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.42৳52.3
$0.71MYR 2.91
-40.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.43৳2,772
$12.18MYR 49.69
84.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.19৳147
$0.96MYR 3.93
23.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.39৳48.71
$0.70MYR 2.87
-44.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.28৳406
$9.62MYR 39.24
-65.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.10৳136
$0.49MYR 1.99
124.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K৳3.6M
$41.2KMYR 167.9K
-28.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K৳4.0M
$35.1KMYR 143.3K
-8.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$38.28৳4,729
$53.6MYR 219
-28.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09৳506
$11.31MYR 46.14
-63.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.02৳1,114
$28.43MYR 116
-68.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$13.66৳1,688
$41.24MYR 168
-66.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.21৳1,261
$7.28MYR 29.70
40.25%
Cinema Ticket
$4.11৳508
$5.02MYR 20.50
-18.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$90.7৳11.2K
$166MYR 678
-45.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,591৳320.2K
$4,392MYR 17.9K
-41.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.06৳2,108
$53.4MYR 218
-68.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.38৳2,641
$16.39MYR 66.9
30.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$51.4৳6,355
$80.8MYR 329
-36.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.78৳4,545
$96.9MYR 395
-62.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$133৳16.4K
$397MYR 1,620
-66.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$65.1৳8,041
$308MYR 1,255
-78.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$377৳46.6K
$538MYR 2,195
-29.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$192৳23.8K
$340MYR 1,388
-43.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,621৳200.3K
$1,966MYR 8,022
-17.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$760৳93.9K
$1,142MYR 4,657
-33.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Bangi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$246৳30.4K
$1,200MYR 4,896
-79.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.48
4.06
158.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026
Last update for Bangi: October 11, 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
$124 30.5%
Bangi
$264 27.5% ↑ 113%$140
🏠Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$65 16%
Bangi
$308 32.1% ↑ 373%$242
🍽Eating Out
Dhaka
$59 14.6%
Bangi
$111 11.6% ↑ 87.6%$52
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$57 14.1%
Bangi
$111 11.6% ↑ 95.4%$54
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$51 12.7%
Bangi
$93 9.7% ↑ 81.6%$42
🚌Getting Around
Dhaka
$27 6.7%
Bangi
$20 2% ↓ 28.5%$7.8
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$22 5.4%
Bangi
$51 5.4% ↑ 134%$29
🛒Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
$304 31.4%
Bangi
$597 34.7% ↑ 96.1%$293
🏠Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$192 19.9%
Bangi
$340 19.8% ↑ 76.8%$148
🍽Eating Out
Dhaka
$180 18.6%
Bangi
$281 16.3% ↑ 56%$101
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$127 13.1%
Bangi
$247 14.4% ↑ 95.4%$121
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$55 5.7%
Bangi
$105 6.1% ↑ 88.6%$49
🚌Getting Around
Dhaka
$55 5.7%
Bangi
$40 2.4% ↓ 27%$15
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$54 5.6%
Bangi
$110 6.4% ↑ 104%$56
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $397 in Bangi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bangi pays 388% 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: $12.00 in Dhaka vs $13.00 in Bangi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $264 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 Bangi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dhaka or Bangi?
Dhaka wins on cost – living expenses run 136% lower than in Bangi. 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 Bangi?
On paper, salaries run 388% lower in Bangi. 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 Bangi?
Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Dhaka versus $397 in Bangi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Dhaka and in Bangi?
Dining out is cheaper in Dhaka – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $13.00 in Bangi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Dhaka compared to Bangi?
All in, you'll spend $406 per month in Dhaka versus $958 in Bangi – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Dhaka or in Bangi?
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 offers a better quality of life: Dhaka or Bangi?
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.
How safe is Dhaka compared to Bangi?
Safety-wise, Dhaka and Bangi 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 136% less than in Bangi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.