Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Calapan City

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $710 in Calapan City, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Calapan City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$710
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Calapan City

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 Calapan City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $406 per month in Dhaka vs $710 in Calapan City, rent included.

  • Dhaka $406
  • Calapan City $710

A couple spends around $687 per month in Dhaka vs $1,088 in Calapan City, rent included.

  • Dhaka $687
  • Calapan City $1,088

A family of three spends $969 per month in Dhaka vs $1,467 in Calapan City, rent included.

  • Dhaka $969
  • Calapan City $1,467

Dhaka is about 43% cheaper than Calapan City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dhaka and Calapan City are more affordable than the global median – Dhaka 70% lower, Calapan City 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.28 ৳282
$4.01 ₱252
-43.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.33 ৳1,523
$16.85 ₱1,061
-26.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.95 ৳488
$2.83 ₱178
39.58%
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
$2.25 ₱142
1.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ৳40.88
$0.61 ₱38.53
-45.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 ৳19.86
$0.30 ₱19.15
-46.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.13 ₱71.0
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.90 ₱120
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 ৳104
$1.69 ₱107
-49.70%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 ৳74.5
$1.15 ₱72.5
-47.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.69 ৳85.4
$0.97 ₱61.1
-28.87%
Eggs
$1.23 ৳152
$1.92 ₱121
-35.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.80 ৳1,087
$4.78 ₱301
84.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.33 ৳412
$4.23 ₱267
-21.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.63 ৳819
$7.03 ₱442
-5.69%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ৳352
$2.34 ₱147
21.79%
Banana (1kg)
$0.90 ৳111
$1.60 ₱101
-43.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ৳289
$2.36 ₱149
-0.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.63 ৳78.4
$1.14 ₱71.6
-44.74%
Potato (1kg)
$0.24 ৳29.59
$1.91 ₱120
-87.43%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 ৳57.3
$1.95 ₱123
-76.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 ৳42.79
$0.99 ₱62.3
-64.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28 ৳34.24
$0.55 ₱34.62
-49.09%
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
$2.99 ₱188
9.70%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.38 ₱464
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.95 ₱59.6
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.95 ₱123
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.42 ৳52.3
$0.24 ₱15.06
75.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.43 ৳2,772
$11.13 ₱701
101.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 ৳147
$0.79 ₱49.46
50.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 ৳48.71
$0.20 ₱12.48
95.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 ৳406
$1.94 ₱122
69.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ৳136
$1.05 ₱66.3
4.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K ৳3.6M
$23.0K ₱1.4M
28.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K ৳4.0M
$18.8K ₱1.2M
71.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$38.28 ৳4,729
$121 ₱7,642
-68.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 ৳506
$14.21 ₱895
-71.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.02 ৳1,114
$24.23 ₱1,525
-62.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.66 ৳1,688
$32.71 ₱2,059
-58.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.21 ৳1,261
$5.12 ₱323
99.41%
Cinema Ticket
$4.11 ৳508
$5.07 ₱319
-18.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$90.7 ৳11.2K
$125 ₱7,875
-27.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,591 ৳320.2K
$7,935 ₱499.6K
-67.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.06 ৳2,108
$32.35 ₱2,037
-47.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.38 ৳2,641
$19.22 ₱1,210
11.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51.4 ৳6,355
$69.8 ₱4,395
-26.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.78 ৳4,545
$57.0 ₱3,589
-35.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$133 ৳16.4K
$232 ₱14.6K
-42.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$65.1 ৳8,041
$156 ₱9,819
-58.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$377 ৳46.6K
$497 ₱31.3K
-24.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 ৳23.8K
$336 ₱21.1K
-42.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,621 ৳200.3K
$2,385 ₱150.2K
-32.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$760 ৳93.9K
$1,002 ₱63.1K
-24.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Calapan City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$246 ৳30.4K
$118 ₱7,460
107.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.48
6.79
54.34%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Calapan City: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
$124
Calapan City
$177 42.9% $53
Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$65
Calapan City
$156 140% $91
Eating Out
Dhaka
$59
Calapan City
$81 35.8% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$57
Calapan City
$80 40.8% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$51
Calapan City
$160 211% $108
Getting Around
Dhaka
$27
Calapan City
$14 49.2% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$22
Calapan City
$43 95.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Dhaka versus $232 in Calapan City. 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 108% higher in Dhaka, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Dhaka versus $17.00 in Calapan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $124 vs $177 – making Dhaka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🇵🇭 Calapan City
🕒 Local time
07:09 7:09 AM
09:09 9:09 AM
2 h ahead of Dhaka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,741,000 Capital
145,786
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dhaka Calapan City 3,430 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dhaka
  • Calapan City

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 Calapan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calapan City cheaper than Dhaka?
Yes – Calapan City is pricier by about 75%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $609 per month in Dhaka and $1,065 in Calapan City. 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 Dhaka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Dhaka or in Calapan City?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Dhaka and $17.00 in Calapan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Dhaka and in Calapan City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $406 in Dhaka and $710 in Calapan City. That's a gap of about 75%.
Is $1,000 enough for either Dhaka or Calapan City?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $406 in Dhaka and $710 in Calapan City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Dhaka or Calapan City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Dhaka – 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 Dhaka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calapan City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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