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: $417 in Dhaka versus $302 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $701 in Dhaka versus $506 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $984 in Dhaka versus $711 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Dhaka is roughly 38% 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

$1.69 ৳207

43.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.51 ৳1,533

$12.34 ৳1,513

1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ৳607

$3.12 ৳383

58.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.20 ৳515

$5.66 ৳694

-25.80%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 ৳593

$2.49 ৳305

94.38%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ৳279

$1.68 ৳206

35.71%

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

$0.35 ৳42.35

$0.39 ৳47.20

-10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ৳23.82

$0.14 ৳16.61

35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 ৳99.2

$0.79 ৳97.2

2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ৳85.9

$0.51 ৳62.7

37.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 ৳74.5

$0.49 ৳59.5

24.49%

Eggs

$1.25 ৳153

$1.06 ৳130

17.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 ৳846

$8.86 ৳1,087

-22.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ৳428

$1.66 ৳204

110.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.49 ৳796

$6.80 ৳834

-4.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 ৳346

$2.28 ৳280

23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ৳132

$1.02 ৳125

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ৳316

$1.67 ৳205

54.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 ৳111

$0.34 ৳42.11

167.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ৳56.8

$0.17 ৳20.94

170.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ৳103

$0.41 ৳50.5

104.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳43.16

$0.38 ৳46.09

-7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳33.84

$0.27 ৳33.17

3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.19 ৳1,494

$6.26 ৳767

94.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 ৳483

$2.53 ৳310

55.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ৳876

$3.31 ৳406

116.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ৳354

$1.93 ৳236

49.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳51.6

$0.20 ৳24.49

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.04 ৳3,069

$10.21 ৳1,251

145.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 ৳153

$0.28 ৳33.83

346.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ৳51.9

$0.36 ৳43.83

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ৳382

$2.43 ৳298

28.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ৳130

$1.02 ৳125

3.92%

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

$28.7K ৳3.5M

$32.4K ৳4.0M

-11.38%

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

$28.5K ৳3.5M

$33.9K ৳4.2M

-15.89%

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

$32.55 ৳3,989

$12.50 ৳1,532

160.40%

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

$4.81 ৳590

$2.63 ৳323

82.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.32 ৳1,633

$11.24 ৳1,378

18.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.08 ৳2,339

$16.13 ৳1,977

18.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 ৳1,804

$11.57 ৳1,418

27.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.02 ৳492

$2.35 ৳289

71.06%

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

$48.44 ৳5,938

$24.40 ৳2,991

98.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,932 ৳236.9K

$1,372 ৳168.2K

40.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.65 ৳2,286

$20.15 ৳2,470

-7.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.28 ৳2,975

$18.67 ৳2,288

30.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.82 ৳5,861

$32.24 ৳3,951

48.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.25 ৳4,566

$33.23 ৳4,073

12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 ৳14.6K

$70.9 ৳8,692

67.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.2 ৳7,873

$42.25 ৳5,179

52.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 ৳37.6K

$307 ৳37.7K

-0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ৳22.4K

$98.6 ৳12.1K

85.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 ৳187.0K

$757 ৳92.8K

101.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$759 ৳93.1K

$262 ৳32.1K

190.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 ৳34.5K

$283 ৳34.7K

-0.60%

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $119 in Dhaka and $70.9 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cox's Bazar pays 1% 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 38% in total monthly costs ($417 vs $302 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cox's Bazar earns 1% less. 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: $119 in Dhaka versus $70.9 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 $48.44 in Dhaka versus $24.40 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 38% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.