Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Chittagong Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Chittagong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $431 per month in Dhaka vs $370 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $738 per month in Dhaka vs $628 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,044 per month in Dhaka vs $887 in Chittagong, rent included.

Dhaka costs about 17% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dhaka and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Dhaka 69% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 ৳292

$2.07 ৳254

15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.72 ৳1,559

$12.43 ৳1,523

2.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ৳609

$5.26 ৳645

-5.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.74 ৳581

$2.72 ৳333

74.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 ৳496

$4.17 ৳511

-2.88%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ৳288

$1.91 ৳234

23.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ৳39.35

$0.39 ৳48.00

-17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ৳23.34

$0.14 ৳17.15

35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ৳95.8

$0.79 ৳97.1

-1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ৳73.3

$0.56 ৳68.2

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ৳83.4

$0.66 ৳81.2

3.03%

Eggs

$1.17 ৳143

$1.12 ৳137

4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 ৳1,125

$7.33 ৳898

25.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ৳406

$2.04 ৳250

62.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 ৳833

$7.48 ৳917

-9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ৳344

$2.38 ৳291

17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 ৳113

$0.84 ৳103

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ৳284

$2.07 ৳254

12.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.62 ৳75.9

$0.85 ৳105

-27.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.23 ৳27.95

$0.44 ৳53.7

-47.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ৳64.3

$0.83 ৳102

-37.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳42.29

$0.49 ৳60.5

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ৳35.51

$0.31 ৳37.68

-6.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.43 ৳1,523

$8.88 ৳1,088

39.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 ৳679

$0.78 ৳95.2

610.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 ৳801

$1.43 ৳175

357.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ৳410

$3.02 ৳370

10.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ৳48.88

$0.23 ৳28.24

73.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.95 ৳2,812

$4.03 ৳493

469.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ৳147

$0.78 ৳95.0

53.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ৳52.7

$0.55 ৳67.5

-21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ৳405

$3.99 ৳489

-17.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ৳130

$1.10 ৳135

-3.64%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.7K ৳3.6M

$33.1K ৳4.1M

-10.38%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.0K ৳3.9M

$45.0K ৳5.5M

-28.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$45.69 ৳5,597

$30.46 ৳3,733

50.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.10 ৳503

$5.37 ৳658

-23.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 ৳1,413

$12.62 ৳1,546

-8.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.84 ৳2,063

$19.92 ৳2,440

-15.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 ৳1,836

$14.33 ৳1,756

4.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 ৳489

$3.70 ৳453

7.84%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$96.1 ৳11.8K

$35.85 ৳4,393

168.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,694 ৳330.1K

$1,455 ৳178.2K

85.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.09 ৳2,094

$22.84 ৳2,798

-25.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.57 ৳2,397

$19.75 ৳2,420

-0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 ৳6,286

$57.5 ৳7,043

-10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.19 ৳4,557

$34.77 ৳4,260

6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 ৳18.1K

$125 ৳15.3K

18.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.2 ৳8,598

$60.1 ৳7,368

16.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 ৳54.1K

$258 ৳31.6K

71.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 ৳27.0K

$168 ৳20.5K

31.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,602 ৳196.3K

$784 ৳96.0K

104.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$769 ৳94.2K

$461 ৳56.5K

66.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 ৳30.8K

$283 ৳34.6K

-11.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.44

11.5

-9.22%

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

Last update for Dhaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $147 in Dhaka versus $125 in Chittagong. 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 13% higher in Chittagong, 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 $13.00 in Dhaka versus $12.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $124 vs $113 – making Chittagong 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 Chittagong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $431 in Dhaka, $370 in Chittagong – roughly 17% apart. Dhaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $647 per month in Dhaka and $555 in Chittagong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chittagong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $431 in Dhaka and $370 in Chittagong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 469% less in Chittagong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $431 in Dhaka and $370 in Chittagong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chittagong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chittagong. 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.