Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Cox's Bazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Cox's Bazar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $445 in Dhaka versus $353 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $736 in Dhaka versus $567 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,026 in Dhaka versus $782 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Dhaka is roughly 26% more expensive than in Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 67% lower, Cox's Bazar 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 ৳295

$1.59 ৳195

50.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.96 ৳1,590

$12.20 ৳1,498

6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ৳606

$3.00 ৳368

64.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 ৳600

$2.65 ৳326

84.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ৳510

$2.51 ৳308

65.74%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ৳290

$2.01 ৳247

17.41%

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

$0.31 ৳37.82

$0.40 ৳48.50

-22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ৳18.56

$0.12 ৳15.17

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ৳95.6

$0.76 ৳93.0

2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ৳76.3

$0.47 ৳58.2

31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ৳81.4

$0.64 ৳78.0

3.13%

Eggs

$1.19 ৳146

$1.04 ৳128

14.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 ৳1,113

$7.23 ৳887

25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 ৳392

$2.13 ৳262

50.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 ৳801

$7.29 ৳895

-10.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ৳350

$2.34 ৳287

21.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ৳115

$0.83 ৳102

12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ৳295

$1.60 ৳197

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ৳81.9

$0.49 ৳59.5

36.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.25 ৳30.75

$0.47 ৳57.7

-46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ৳59.5

$0.54 ৳66.4

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 ৳41.85

$0.45 ৳54.8

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.16

$0.30 ৳36.30

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.12 ৳1,488

$7.98 ৳979

51.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.39 ৳662

$2.61 ৳320

106.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 ৳785

$4.47 ৳548

43.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ৳405

$1.84 ৳225

79.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ৳48.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.46 ৳2,756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ৳148

$0.29 ৳35.73

317.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.20

$0.36 ৳43.65

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 ৳405

$3.96 ৳486

-16.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ৳131

$1.11 ৳136

-3.60%

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

$29.5K ৳3.6M

$32.6K ৳4.0M

-9.36%

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

$32.2K ৳4.0M

$34.4K ৳4.2M

-6.31%

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

$45.69 ৳5,606

$12.27 ৳1,506

272.37%

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

$3.87 ৳474

$2.59 ৳318

49.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.21 ৳1,376

$11.52 ৳1,413

-2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.39 ৳2,011

$16.14 ৳1,981

1.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 ৳1,879

$4.14 ৳508

269.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ৳510

$2.31 ৳283

80.09%

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

$92.4 ৳11.3K

$24.74 ৳3,036

273.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,635 ৳323.4K

$1,440 ৳176.7K

82.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.02 ৳2,089

$22.92 ৳2,812

-25.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 ৳2,474

$18.27 ৳2,242

10.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.7 ৳6,344

$33.08 ৳4,059

56.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.65 ৳4,620

$34.76 ৳4,265

8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 ৳19.1K

$160 ৳19.7K

-2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.4 ৳9,863

$98.2 ৳12.0K

-18.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ৳55.4K

$310 ৳38.0K

45.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 ৳28.3K

$160 ৳19.6K

44.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,638 ৳201.0K

$352 ৳43.2K

364.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$768 ৳94.2K

$259 ৳31.8K

196.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 ৳30.5K

$280 ৳34.4K

-11.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

11.5

-8.87%

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

Last update for Dhaka: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in Dhaka and $160 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cox's Bazar pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Dhaka vs $12.00 in Cox's Bazar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $107 per month, with Cox's Bazar cheaper across the board.

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 Cox's Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka and Cox's Bazar differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($445 vs $353 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Cox's Bazar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $156 in Dhaka versus $160 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Dhaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $445 per month in Dhaka versus $353 in Cox's Bazar – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Cox's Bazar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.