Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Madurai Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Madurai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $417 in Dhaka versus $426 in Madurai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $707 in Dhaka versus $697 in Madurai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $997 in Dhaka versus $968 in Madurai.

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 2% less than in Madurai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 69% lower, Madurai 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 ৳295

$1.78 ₹171

34.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.97 ৳1,591

$11.57 ₹1,108

12.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ৳599

$5.11 ₹489

-4.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 ৳489

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 ৳614

Cappuccino

$2.27 ৳278

$1.78 ₹170

27.53%

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

$0.32 ৳38.76

$0.68 ₹65.5

-52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ৳17.91

$0.22 ₹21.07

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 ₹181

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹272

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 ৳101

$0.65 ₹61.9

27.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ৳86.5

$0.53 ₹50.4

33.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ৳80.3

$0.80 ₹76.4

-18.75%

Eggs

$1.29 ৳158

$0.85 ₹81.7

51.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.74 ৳827

$6.93 ₹663

-2.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 ৳423

$3.59 ₹344

-3.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 ৳817

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ৳336

$3.24 ₹310

-15.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ৳140

$0.80 ₹76.9

42.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ৳327

$2.00 ₹192

33.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 ৳111

$0.58 ₹55.1

56.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 ৳53.7

$0.81 ₹77.8

-45.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ৳96.6

$0.78 ₹74.9

1.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳43.42

$0.71 ₹67.7

-50.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.07

$0.53 ₹50.7

-43.40%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.06 ৳1,480

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 ৳477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 ৳850

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ৳372

$4.51 ₹432

-32.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 ₹632

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹220

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₹420

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.68 ₹640

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ৳48.34

$0.24 ₹23.10

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.89 ৳3,054

$11.85 ₹1,134

110.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ৳149

$1.04 ₹99.1

17.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ৳52.7

$0.24 ₹22.99

79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ৳375

$1.14 ₹109

168.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ৳127

$1.22 ₹117

-14.75%

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

$28.9K ৳3.5M

$18.4K ₹1.8M

57.29%

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

$28.5K ৳3.5M

$22.9K ₹2.2M

24.54%

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

$32.66 ৳4,006

$31.45 ₹3,009

3.85%

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

$4.75 ৳583

$4.01 ₹383

18.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.98 ৳1,593

$8.00 ₹766

62.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.31 ৳2,369

$17.12 ₹1,638

12.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 ৳1,813

$7.10 ₹680

108.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ৳504

$2.69 ₹258

52.79%

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

$46.92 ৳5,756

$62.2 ₹5,947

-24.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,979 ৳242.8K

$1,864 ₹178.4K

6.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.61 ৳2,283

$26.45 ₹2,531

-29.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.19 ৳2,967

$26.69 ₹2,554

-9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.70 ৳5,728

$48.11 ₹4,604

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.80 ৳4,514

$48.93 ₹4,682

-24.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 ৳14.3K

$115 ₹11.0K

1.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.5 ৳7,785

$74.9 ₹7,170

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 ৳38.8K

$324 ₹31.0K

-2.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ৳22.5K

$210 ₹20.1K

-12.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,493 ৳183.2K

$1,199 ₹114.7K

24.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$659 ৳80.8K

$470 ₹44.9K

40.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$286 ৳35.1K

$362 ₹34.7K

-21.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.52

9.8

7.35%

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

Last update for Dhaka: June 1, 2026

Last update for Madurai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Dhaka and $115 in Madurai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 27% 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 Madurai. Groceries flip the comparison at $124 vs $136, with Dhaka 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 Madurai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Madurai earns 27% 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: $117 in Dhaka versus $115 in Madurai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $417 per month in Dhaka versus $426 in Madurai – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 110% less than in Madurai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dhaka 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 Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Madurai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.