Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Jamalpur

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamalpur: $345 a month against $428 in Dhaka, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$428
/mo nomad
Jamalpur
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$345
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Jamalpur

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 Jamalpur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $428 in Dhaka versus $345 in Jamalpur.

  • Dhaka $428
  • Jamalpur $345

Estimated couple costs with rent: $724 in Dhaka versus $577 in Jamalpur.

  • Dhaka $724
  • Jamalpur $577

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,019 in Dhaka versus $809 in Jamalpur.

  • Dhaka $1,019
  • Jamalpur $809

Living in Dhaka is roughly 24% more expensive than in Jamalpur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 68% lower, Jamalpur 75% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.50 ৳309
$1.03 ৳128
142.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.26 ৳1,638
$10.58 ৳1,308
25.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.99 ৳616
$5.80 ৳717
-13.97%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.87 ৳602
$2.71 ৳335
79.70%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14 ৳511
$4.02 ৳496
2.99%
Cappuccino
$2.35 ৳291
$1.89 ৳233
24.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ৳41.07
$0.29 ৳36.03
13.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 ৳19.62
$0.14 ৳17.36
14.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 ৳105
$1.03 ৳127
-17.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.63 ৳77.9
$0.52 ৳64.0
21.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.67 ৳83.1
$0.95 ৳118
-29.47%
Eggs
$1.19 ৳147
$2.10 ৳260
-43.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.83 ৳1,092
$7.87 ৳972
12.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ৳408
$3.17 ৳392
4.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.41 ৳792
$6.26 ৳774
2.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 ৳340
$2.49 ৳308
10.44%
Banana (1kg)
$0.94 ৳116
$0.85 ৳105
10.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 ৳293
$2.16 ৳267
9.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.64 ৳79.1
$0.52 ৳64.0
23.08%
Potato (1kg)
$0.26 ৳32.25
$0.55 ৳67.8
-52.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.49 ৳60.6
$0.48 ৳58.9
2.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.30 ৳37.63
$0.46 ৳57.1
-34.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 ৳37.49
$0.30 ৳37.52
-
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$12.24 ৳1,512
$8.00 ৳989
53.00%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.43 ৳671
$1.79 ৳221
203.35%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.53 ৳807
$4.65 ৳575
40.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.17 ৳392
$2.33 ৳288
36.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 ৳47.44
$0.29 ৳36.32
31.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.06 ৳2,849
$6.64 ৳821
247.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ৳145
$0.78 ৳96.8
50.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.38 ৳46.99
$0.39 ৳48.03
-2.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 ৳405
$2.91 ৳359
12.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ৳137
$1.10 ৳136
0.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K ৳3.6M
$29.8K ৳3.7M
-2.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ৳4.1M
$32.9K ৳4.1M
0.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.77 ৳5,779
$29.90 ৳3,695
56.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.51 ৳557
$6.14 ৳759
-26.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.22 ৳1,387
$11.94 ৳1,476
-6.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.43 ৳2,031
$16.16 ৳1,997
1.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.87 ৳1,838
$16.08 ৳1,987
-7.52%
Cinema Ticket
$4.20 ৳519
$3.71 ৳458
13.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$91.6 ৳11.3K
$24.00 ৳2,966
281.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,596 ৳320.8K
$1,041 ৳128.6K
149.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.63 ৳2,055
$16.05 ৳1,983
3.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.80 ৳2,447
$18.43 ৳2,277
7.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.87 ৳5,791
$32.74 ৳4,045
43.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$37.00 ৳4,572
$33.58 ৳4,149
10.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$148 ৳18.2K
$86.6 ৳10.7K
70.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$70.8 ৳8,743
$45.16 ৳5,580
56.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$432 ৳53.4K
$170 ৳21.1K
153.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$213 ৳26.3K
$118 ৳14.5K
80.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,605 ৳198.4K
$691 ৳85.4K
132.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$751 ৳92.8K
$1,051 ৳129.9K
-28.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Jamalpur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$245 ৳30.3K
$165 ৳20.4K
48.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.67
10.67
-

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 19, 2026

Last update for Jamalpur: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
$123
Jamalpur
$123 0.4% $0.4
Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$71
Jamalpur
$45 36.2% $26
Eating Out
Dhaka
$65
Jamalpur
$50 23.2% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$63
Jamalpur
$48 23.2% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$54
Jamalpur
$45 16.2% $8.8
Getting Around
Dhaka
$28
Jamalpur
$11 61.9% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$25
Jamalpur
$24 5% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $148 in Dhaka and $86.6 in Jamalpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 48% 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 $11.00 in Jamalpur. Groceries flip the comparison at $123 vs $123, with Dhaka cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🇧🇩 Jamalpur
🕒 Local time
21:09 9:09 PM
21:09 9:09 PM
Same time as Dhaka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,741,000 Capital
150,172
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dhaka Jamalpur 140 km
From you
  • Dhaka
  • Jamalpur

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 Jamalpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jamalpur cheaper than Dhaka?
Jamalpur is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dhaka or Jamalpur?
Average pay runs 48% higher in Dhaka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Dhaka and Jamalpur?
Rent for a central apartment: $148 in Dhaka versus $86.6 in Jamalpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Dhaka and in Jamalpur?
All in, you'll spend $428 per month in Dhaka versus $345 in Jamalpur – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Jamalpur runs roughly 247% less than in Dhaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,200 enough for either Dhaka or Jamalpur?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Jamalpur gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Dhaka or in Jamalpur?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Jamalpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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