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: $415 in Dhaka versus $303 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $705 in Dhaka versus $516 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $995 in Dhaka versus $729 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Dhaka is roughly 37% more expensive than Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 69% lower, Cox's Bazar 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.42 ৳297

$1.61 ৳197

50.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.53 ৳1,539

$12.33 ৳1,513

1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ৳607

$3.00 ৳368

64.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 ৳505

$5.78 ৳709

-28.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 ৳615

$2.42 ৳298

107.02%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ৳268

$1.60 ৳196

36.25%

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

$0.32 ৳39.01

$0.36 ৳44.14

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳20.10

$0.12 ৳15.08

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 ৳93.9

$0.79 ৳96.8

-3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ৳80.7

$0.50 ৳61.5

32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ৳81.2

$0.48 ৳59.4

37.50%

Eggs

$1.26 ৳154

$1.05 ৳129

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 ৳820

$8.87 ৳1,089

-24.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ৳425

$1.62 ৳198

113.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ৳798

$6.97 ৳856

-6.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 ৳342

$2.27 ৳279

22.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ৳138

$1.00 ৳122

12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ৳328

$1.63 ৳200

63.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$0.31 ৳38.61

190.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ৳57.4

$0.17 ৳20.52

176.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ৳96.8

$0.39 ৳47.49

102.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 ৳43.60

$0.40 ৳49.31

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.36

$0.27 ৳33.32

11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.34 ৳1,515

$6.44 ৳791

91.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 ৳480

$2.51 ৳308

55.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ৳877

$3.37 ৳413

112.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ৳356

$1.89 ৳232

53.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ৳49.03

$0.20 ৳24.49

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.92 ৳3,060

$10.17 ৳1,248

145.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 ৳153

$0.28 ৳34.11

346.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.07

$0.36 ৳43.80

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ৳373

$2.51 ৳308

21.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ৳130

$1.04 ৳128

1.92%

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

$28.8K ৳3.5M

$32.7K ৳4.0M

-11.91%

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

$28.4K ৳3.5M

$33.8K ৳4.1M

-16.01%

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

$32.13 ৳3,944

$12.14 ৳1,491

164.66%

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

$4.71 ৳578

$2.64 ৳325

78.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.35 ৳1,639

$11.27 ৳1,384

18.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.36 ৳2,377

$16.16 ৳1,984

19.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.43 ৳1,772

$11.71 ৳1,438

23.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 ৳514

$2.39 ৳294

75.31%

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

$47.21 ৳5,796

$24.31 ৳2,984

94.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,929 ৳236.8K

$1,376 ৳168.9K

40.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.22 ৳2,236

$20.19 ৳2,479

-9.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.80 ৳2,921

$18.10 ৳2,222

31.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.14 ৳5,788

$33.00 ৳4,051

42.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.51 ৳4,483

$34.09 ৳4,185

7.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 ৳14.6K

$68.6 ৳8,420

73.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.0 ৳7,852

$41.65 ৳5,113

53.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ৳37.5K

$305 ৳37.4K

0.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ৳22.9K

$97.6 ৳12.0K

91.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,306 ৳160.3K

$602 ৳74.0K

116.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 ৳76.2K

$392 ৳48.1K

58.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$304 ৳37.4K

$288 ৳35.4K

5.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.52

11.67

-9.85%

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

Last update for Dhaka: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $119 in Dhaka and $68.6 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 $106 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 37% in total monthly costs ($415 vs $303 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dhaka pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $119 in Dhaka versus $68.6 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cox's Bazar runs roughly 145% less than in Dhaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $47.21 in Dhaka versus $24.31 in Cox's Bazar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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 37% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.