Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and George Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $956 in George Town, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in George Town
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George Town Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

George Town

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in George Town

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dhaka and in George Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $956 in George Town.

Dhaka $406
George Town $956

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,599 in George Town.

Dhaka $687
George Town $1,599

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $2,243 in George Town.

Dhaka $969
George Town $2,243

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 58% less than in George Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, George Town 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ৳282

$3.41 MYR 13.92

-33.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 ৳1,523

$15.33 MYR 62.5

-19.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ৳488

$4.55 MYR 18.58

-13.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 ৳554

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 ৳510

Cappuccino

$2.28 ৳281

$2.61 MYR 10.66

-12.64%

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

$0.33 ৳40.88

$0.78 MYR 3.16

-57.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.86

$0.35 MYR 1.43

-54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MYR 9.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.21

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ৳104

$1.85 MYR 7.56

-54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ৳74.5

$1.05 MYR 4.28

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ৳85.4

$1.68 MYR 6.85

-58.93%

Eggs

$1.23 ৳152

$2.21 MYR 9.03

-44.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 ৳1,087

$13.65 MYR 55.7

-35.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ৳412

$4.51 MYR 18.38

-26.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 ৳819

$8.49 MYR 34.62

-21.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ৳352

$2.43 MYR 9.89

17.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$1.43 MYR 5.84

-37.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ৳289

$2.23 MYR 9.12

4.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ৳78.4

$1.19 MYR 4.86

-47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.59

$0.93 MYR 3.77

-74.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ৳57.3

$0.85 MYR 3.45

-45.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳42.79

$0.70 MYR 2.87

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.24

$0.57 MYR 2.31

-50.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.11 ৳1,496

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.31 ৳656

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 ৳794

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ৳405

$4.42 MYR 18.03

-25.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 MYR 76.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 MYR 9.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MYR 14.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.3

$0.47 MYR 1.91

-10.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ৳2,772

$10.84 MYR 44.24

106.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

$1.24 MYR 5.08

-4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.71

$0.51 MYR 2.09

-23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 ৳406

$6.87 MYR 28.03

-52.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ৳136

$0.84 MYR 3.43

30.95%

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

$29.4K ৳3.6M

$42.3K MYR 172.6K

-30.46%

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

$32.2K ৳4.0M

$28.7K MYR 117.0K

12.10%

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

$38.28 ৳4,729

$36.87 MYR 150

3.82%

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

$4.09 ৳506

$8.21 MYR 33.51

-50.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.02 ৳1,114

$28.51 MYR 116

-68.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.66 ৳1,688

$40.21 MYR 164

-66.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.21 ৳1,261

$5.04 MYR 20.55

102.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ৳508

$4.76 MYR 19.43

-13.66%

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

$90.7 ৳11.2K

$173 MYR 705

-47.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,591 ৳320.2K

$4,848 MYR 19.8K

-46.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.06 ৳2,108

$53.1 MYR 216

-67.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.38 ৳2,641

$34.45 MYR 141

-37.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 ৳6,355

$74.5 MYR 304

-30.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.78 ৳4,545

$69.8 MYR 285

-47.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ৳16.4K

$505 MYR 2,059

-73.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 ৳8,041

$374 MYR 1,524

-82.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ৳46.6K

$932 MYR 3,804

-59.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ৳23.8K

$992 MYR 4,046

-80.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ৳200.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 ৳93.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 ৳30.4K

$1,094 MYR 4,462

-77.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

4.04

159.41%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for George Town: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$124 30.5%

George Town

$240 25.1% 94.2% $116

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$65 16%

George Town

$374 39.1% 474% $309

Eating Out

Dhaka

$59 14.6%

George Town

$98 10.2% 64.7% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$57 14.1%

George Town

$104 10.9% 83% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$51 12.7%

George Town

$74 7.7% 43.2% $22

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.7%

George Town

$17 1.7% 39.5% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$22 5.4%

George Town

$50 5.2% 127% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $505 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 344% 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: $12.00 in Dhaka vs $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $240 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇲🇾 George Town

🕒 Local time

00:25 12:25 AM

02:25 2:25 AM

2 h ahead of Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

794,313

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Taka (৳)

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to BDT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dhaka George Town 2,300 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
George Town

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 344% lower in George Town. 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: $133 in Dhaka versus $505 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $406 per month in Dhaka versus $956 in George Town – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 107% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $406 in Dhaka versus $956 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in George Town, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dhaka and George Town are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.