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: $445 in Dhaka versus $412 in Madurai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $736 in Dhaka versus $664 in Madurai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,026 in Dhaka versus $916 in Madurai.

Living in Dhaka is roughly 8% more expensive than in Madurai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 67% lower, Madurai 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 ৳295

$1.71 ₹165

40.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.96 ৳1,590

$10.27 ₹985

26.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ৳606

$4.09 ₹392

20.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 ৳600

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ৳510

Cappuccino

$2.36 ৳290

$2.33 ₹223

1.29%

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

$0.31 ৳37.81

$0.57 ₹54.8

-45.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ৳18.56

$0.24 ₹23.04

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ₹206

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ₹372

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ৳95.6

$0.58 ₹55.6

34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ৳76.3

$0.54 ₹51.7

14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ৳81.4

$0.64 ₹61.4

3.13%

Eggs

$1.19 ৳146

$0.80 ₹76.5

48.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 ৳1,113

$5.79 ₹555

56.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 ৳392

$2.98 ₹286

7.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 ৳801

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ৳350

$2.96 ₹284

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ৳115

$0.69 ₹65.9

34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ৳295

$1.66 ₹160

44.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ৳81.9

$0.50 ₹47.79

34.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.25 ৳30.75

$0.60 ₹58.0

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ৳59.4

$0.69 ₹66.6

-30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 ৳41.84

$0.67 ₹64.2

-49.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.15

$0.31 ₹29.89

-9.68%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.12 ৳1,488

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.39 ৳662

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 ৳785

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ৳405

$5.09 ₹488

-35.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 ₹1,009

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₹198

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ₹426

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

$9.67 ₹928

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ৳48.51

$0.20 ₹19.16

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.46 ৳2,756

$10.28 ₹986

118.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ৳148

$1.17 ₹113

3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.20

$0.35 ₹33.76

11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 ৳405

$1.23 ₹118

168.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ৳131

$1.04 ₹100

2.88%

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

$29.5K ৳3.6M

$18.7K ₹1.8M

57.92%

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

$32.2K ৳4.0M

$24.2K ₹2.3M

33.04%

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

$45.69 ৳5,606

$23.06 ₹2,212

98.14%

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

$3.87 ৳474

$4.79 ₹460

-19.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.21 ৳1,376

$7.54 ₹723

48.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.39 ৳2,011

$15.56 ₹1,493

5.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 ৳1,879

$6.59 ₹632

132.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ৳510

$2.58 ₹247

61.24%

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

$92.4 ৳11.3K

$41.57 ₹3,988

122.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,635 ৳323.3K

$1,536 ₹147.3K

71.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.02 ৳2,089

$25.43 ₹2,439

-33.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 ৳2,474

$25.87 ₹2,482

-22.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.7 ৳6,344

$53.5 ₹5,135

-3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.65 ৳4,620

$32.08 ₹3,077

17.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 ৳19.1K

$147 ₹14.1K

6.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.4 ৳9,862

$81.8 ₹7,843

-1.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ৳55.4K

$304 ₹29.1K

48.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 ৳28.3K

$202 ₹19.4K

14.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,638 ৳201.0K

$1,132 ₹108.6K

44.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$768 ৳94.2K

$484 ₹46.4K

58.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 ৳30.5K

$355 ₹34.0K

-29.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

9.59

9.28%

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

Last update for Dhaka: September 14, 2026

Last update for Madurai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in Dhaka and $147 in Madurai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 43% 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 $10.00 in Madurai. Groceries flip the comparison at $123 vs $127, 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

Madurai is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Madurai. 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: $156 in Dhaka versus $147 in Madurai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $445 per month in Dhaka versus $412 in Madurai – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Madurai runs roughly 118% less than in Dhaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Madurai 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 Madurai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.