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: $422 in Dhaka versus $296 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $706 in Dhaka versus $512 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $990 in Dhaka versus $728 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Dhaka is roughly 43% more expensive than in Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 68% lower, Cox's Bazar 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.52 ৳311

$1.59 ৳197

58.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.47 ৳1,541

$12.43 ৳1,536

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ৳625

$3.02 ৳373

67.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 ৳515

$5.77 ৳713

-27.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ৳594

$2.43 ৳300

97.94%

Cappuccino

$2.23 ৳275

$1.66 ৳205

34.34%

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

$0.34 ৳42.41

$0.38 ৳47.57

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.92

$0.13 ৳16.07

23.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 ৳94.9

$0.73 ৳89.9

5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ৳87.3

$0.47 ৳58.1

51.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ৳81.5

$0.48 ৳59.8

37.50%

Eggs

$1.24 ৳153

$1.01 ৳125

22.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 ৳818

$8.89 ৳1,098

-25.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 ৳417

$1.69 ৳209

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.51 ৳804

$7.03 ৳869

-7.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ৳350

$2.29 ৳283

23.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ৳139

$0.96 ৳119

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 ৳331

$1.62 ৳200

65.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 ৳109

$0.34 ৳42.48

158.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 ৳53.6

$0.20 ৳24.42

115.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ৳97.5

$0.38 ৳47.37

107.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ৳40.09

$0.41 ৳50.5

-21.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.36

$0.25 ৳30.83

12.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.07 ৳1,492

$7.74 ৳956

55.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 ৳482

$2.52 ৳311

54.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 ৳852

$3.39 ৳419

103.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ৳375

$1.89 ৳233

60.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ৳53.0

$0.22 ৳27.21

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.04 ৳3,095

$10.19 ৳1,260

145.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ৳149

$0.30 ৳37.16

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ৳52.9

$0.36 ৳44.01

19.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ৳371

$2.50 ৳309

20.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ৳133

$1.06 ৳131

1.89%

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

$28.9K ৳3.6M

$32.6K ৳4.0M

-11.20%

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

$27.8K ৳3.4M

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-18.89%

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

$32.13 ৳3,971

$12.45 ৳1,539

158.07%

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

$4.70 ৳581

$2.59 ৳320

81.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.30 ৳1,643

$11.58 ৳1,431

14.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.72 ৳2,437

$16.15 ৳1,995

22.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.77 ৳1,826

$11.93 ৳1,474

23.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 ৳519

$2.42 ৳299

73.55%

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

$47.52 ৳5,873

$25.10 ৳3,101

89.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,982 ৳245.0K

$1,356 ৳167.6K

46.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.58 ৳2,296

$20.51 ৳2,534

-9.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.42 ৳3,018

$18.26 ৳2,256

33.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.73 ৳5,898

$32.61 ৳4,029

46.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.21 ৳4,475

$33.22 ৳4,105

9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 ৳14.4K

$68.9 ৳8,511

69.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.8 ৳8,001

$41.82 ৳5,168

54.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 ৳38.8K

$311 ৳38.4K

1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ৳23.0K

$98.3 ৳12.1K

89.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,538 ৳190.1K

$354 ৳43.7K

334.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$753 ৳93.1K

$264 ৳32.6K

185.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 ৳34.3K

$287 ৳35.4K

-3.32%

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: July 28, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Dhaka and $68.9 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cox's Bazar pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Dhaka vs $12.00 in Cox's Bazar. Groceries flip the comparison at $122 vs $106, with Cox's Bazar cheaper for home cooking.

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 43% in total monthly costs ($422 vs $296 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 3% 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: $117 in Dhaka versus $68.9 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 146% less than in Dhaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $47.52 in Dhaka versus $25.10 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 43% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.