Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Chennai (Madras) Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Chennai (Madras)

😐 Solo nomad: Dhaka is 3.1% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 15.6% cheaper with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Dhaka is 9.5% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 3.3% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.40 ৳293
$2.27 ₹209
5.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.50 ৳1,529
$11.82 ₹1,089
5.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.87 ৳596
$4.12 ₹379
18.20%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.07 ৳498
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.97 ৳607
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.20 ৳270
$2.08 ₹191
5.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ৳41.61
$0.45 ₹41.28
-24.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.18 ৳21.64
$0.17 ₹15.85
5.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.04 ₹188
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.08 ₹376
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.80 ৳98.3
$0.63 ₹58.2
26.98%
White Bread (500g)
$0.70 ৳86.2
$0.49 ₹45.18
42.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.65 ৳79.7
$0.73 ₹66.9
-10.96%
Eggs
$1.24 ৳152
$0.88 ₹80.9
40.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.89 ৳842
$6.96 ₹641
-1.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.38 ৳414
$3.44 ₹317
-1.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.68 ৳817
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.79 ৳342
$2.95 ₹272
-5.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 ৳134
$0.85 ₹78.3
28.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 ৳324
$1.27 ₹117
108.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.89 ৳109
$0.49 ₹44.96
81.63%
Potato (1kg)
$0.44 ৳53.7
$0.51 ₹46.95
-13.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.84 ৳103
$0.51 ₹46.87
64.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 ৳42.94
$0.59 ₹54.1
-40.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 ৳36.89
$0.35 ₹32.52
-14.29%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$12.00 ৳1,468
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.04 ৳494
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 ৳836
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.88 ৳352
$4.05 ₹373
-28.89%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.64 ₹704
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.81 ₹167
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.48 ₹321
-
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.04 ₹556
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ৳48.41
$0.36 ₹33.20
11.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.81 ৳3,034
$11.42 ₹1,052
117.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ৳148
$1.61 ₹148
-24.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 ৳51.9
$0.30 ₹27.86
40.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 ৳371
$1.71 ₹158
77.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ৳131
$1.22 ₹112
-12.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K ৳3.6M
$17.2K ₹1.6M
69.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.6K ৳3.4M
$23.9K ₹2.2M
15.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$32.89 ৳4,022
$47.91 ₹4,413
-31.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.65 ৳568
$4.82 ₹444
-3.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.34 ৳1,632
$9.33 ₹859
42.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.12 ৳2,339
$17.77 ₹1,637
7.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.38 ৳1,758
$6.99 ₹644
105.72%
Cinema Ticket
$4.02 ৳491
$2.84 ₹261
41.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$48.00 ৳5,871
$80.1 ₹7,378
-40.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,942 ৳237.5K
$1,742 ₹160.5K
11.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.20 ৳2,226
$25.91 ₹2,386
-29.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.95 ৳2,929
$23.73 ₹2,186
0.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$47.79 ৳5,844
$48.67 ₹4,483
-1.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$37.12 ৳4,540
$36.53 ₹3,365
1.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$116 ৳14.2K
$194 ₹17.8K
-40.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$64.2 ৳7,847
$118 ₹10.9K
-45.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$310 ৳38.0K
$432 ₹39.8K
-28.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$186 ৳22.7K
$265 ₹24.4K
-29.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,244 ৳152.1K
$1,752 ₹161.4K
-29.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$603 ৳73.7K
$701 ₹64.6K
-14.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$315 ৳38.5K
$751 ₹69.2K
-58.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.52
9.42
11.68%

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

Last update for Dhaka: March 1, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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