Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Barisal Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Barisal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $445 per month in Dhaka vs $322 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $736 per month in Dhaka vs $515 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,026 per month in Dhaka vs $708 in Barisal, rent included.

Dhaka costs about 38% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dhaka and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Dhaka 67% lower, Barisal 76% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.40 ৳295
$1.45 ৳178
65.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.96 ৳1,590
$10.62 ৳1,303
22.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.94 ৳606
$4.67 ৳573
5.78%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.89 ৳600
$2.75 ৳337
77.82%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 ৳510
$4.61 ৳565
-9.76%
Cappuccino
$2.36 ৳290
$1.97 ৳241
19.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ৳37.82
$0.29 ৳35.62
6.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 ৳18.56
$0.14 ৳17.11
7.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.78 ৳95.6
$0.73 ৳89.3
6.85%
White Bread (500g)
$0.62 ৳76.3
$0.58 ৳71.6
6.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.66 ৳81.4
$0.50 ৳61.8
32.00%
Eggs
$1.19 ৳146
$1.20 ৳148
-0.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.07 ৳1,113
$6.16 ৳756
47.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.20 ৳392
$2.25 ৳276
42.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.53 ৳801
$6.72 ৳825
-2.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ৳350
$2.27 ৳278
25.55%
Banana (1kg)
$0.93 ৳115
$0.97 ৳119
-4.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.40 ৳295
$1.95 ৳239
23.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.67 ৳81.9
$0.56 ৳68.2
19.64%
Potato (1kg)
$0.25 ৳30.75
$0.29 ৳35.58
-13.79%
Onion (1kg)
$0.48 ৳59.5
$0.46 ৳56.5
4.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.34 ৳41.85
$0.41 ৳50.8
-17.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28 ৳34.16
$0.32 ৳39.03
-12.50%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$12.12 ৳1,488
$6.84 ৳839
77.19%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.39 ৳662
$3.73 ৳458
44.50%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.40 ৳785
$4.62 ৳567
38.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.30 ৳405
$3.22 ৳395
2.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ৳48.51
$0.27 ৳33.10
48.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.46 ৳2,756
$12.32 ৳1,511
82.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ৳148
$1.32 ৳162
-8.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 ৳48.20
$0.36 ৳43.58
8.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 ৳405
$2.81 ৳345
17.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ৳131
$1.02 ৳125
4.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.5K ৳3.6M
$30.1K ৳3.7M
-1.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K ৳4.0M
$32.2K ৳3.9M
0.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.69 ৳5,606
$20.53 ৳2,520
122.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.87 ৳474
$5.24 ৳643
-26.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.21 ৳1,376
$11.06 ৳1,357
1.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.39 ৳2,011
$7.04 ৳864
132.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.31 ৳1,879
$12.36 ৳1,516
23.87%
Cinema Ticket
$4.16 ৳510
$4.79 ৳588
-13.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$92.4 ৳11.3K
$13.40 ৳1,644
589.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,635 ৳323.4K
$699 ৳85.7K
277.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.02 ৳2,089
$16.80 ৳2,061
1.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.16 ৳2,474
$18.05 ৳2,214
11.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51.7 ৳6,344
$32.00 ৳3,926
61.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$37.65 ৳4,620
$24.66 ৳3,026
52.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$156 ৳19.1K
$73.6 ৳9,033
111.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$80.4 ৳9,863
$51.8 ৳6,359
55.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$451 ৳55.4K
$134 ৳16.4K
237.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$231 ৳28.3K
$85.4 ৳10.5K
170.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,638 ৳201.0K
$351 ৳43.1K
366.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$768 ৳94.2K
$310 ৳38.0K
148.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Barisal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$248 ৳30.5K
$169 ৳20.8K
46.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.48
10.48
-

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

Last update for Dhaka: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barisal: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $156 in Dhaka versus $73.6 in Barisal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 47% higher in Dhaka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Dhaka versus $11.00 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $123 vs $105 – making Barisal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Barisal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barisal cheaper than Dhaka?
Yes – Dhaka is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $668 per month in Dhaka and $482 in Barisal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Barisal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 82% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $92.4 per month in Dhaka and $13.40 in Barisal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Dhaka or Barisal?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $445 in Dhaka and $322 in Barisal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Dhaka or Barisal more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Barisal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Barisal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dhaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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