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: $416 in Dhaka versus $431 in Madurai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $705 in Dhaka versus $698 in Madurai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $995 in Dhaka versus $966 in Madurai.

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 4% 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

$2.50 ৳309

$1.79 ₹172

39.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.59 ৳1,552

$11.45 ₹1,102

9.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ৳614

$5.08 ₹489

-1.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ৳491

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ৳590

Cappuccino

$2.20 ৳271

$1.75 ₹169

25.71%

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

$0.34 ৳42.36

$0.68 ₹65.3

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ৳23.65

$0.20 ₹19.24

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 ₹176

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₹287

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 ৳101

$0.60 ₹58.2

36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ৳86.6

$0.53 ₹51.2

32.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ৳80.2

$0.76 ₹73.0

-14.47%

Eggs

$1.26 ৳155

$0.89 ₹85.9

41.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.97 ৳859

$7.07 ₹680

-1.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ৳417

$3.71 ₹357

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 ৳794

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 ৳350

$3.26 ₹314

-12.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ৳139

$0.79 ₹76.4

41.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 ৳314

$1.98 ₹191

28.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$0.56 ₹54.3

60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 ৳53.0

$0.81 ₹78.3

-46.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 ৳103

$0.78 ₹75.6

6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 ৳40.31

$0.70 ₹67.7

-52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.46

$0.52 ₹50.5

-42.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.03 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 ৳482

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 ৳879

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ৳369

$4.48 ₹431

-33.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 ₹656

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₹213

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 ₹432

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

$6.63 ₹638

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ৳52.8

$0.22 ₹21.16

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.18 ৳2,980

$11.71 ₹1,127

106.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ৳149

$1.07 ₹103

13.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ৳52.9

$0.22 ₹21.11

95.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ৳388

$1.14 ₹110

176.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ৳127

$1.16 ₹112

-11.21%

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

$29.3K ৳3.6M

$17.8K ₹1.7M

64.58%

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

$28.4K ৳3.5M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

24.88%

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

$32.72 ৳4,033

$31.76 ₹3,058

3.02%

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

$4.78 ৳589

$3.94 ₹379

21.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.15 ৳1,621

$7.60 ₹731

73.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.26 ৳2,374

$17.43 ₹1,678

10.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.25 ৳1,757

$7.14 ₹687

99.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 ৳492

$2.69 ₹259

48.33%

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

$48.08 ৳5,926

$61.1 ₹5,881

-21.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,996 ৳246.0K

$1,921 ₹184.9K

3.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.81 ৳2,319

$26.64 ₹2,565

-29.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.73 ৳2,925

$27.65 ₹2,662

-14.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.25 ৳5,700

$49.12 ₹4,729

-5.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.71 ৳4,524

$49.08 ₹4,725

-25.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 ৳14.5K

$116 ₹11.2K

1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.3 ৳7,800

$74.8 ₹7,200

-15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 ৳38.0K

$325 ₹31.2K

-4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ৳23.4K

$204 ₹19.6K

-6.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 ৳193.3K

$1,195 ₹115.1K

31.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$764 ৳94.2K

$473 ₹45.6K

61.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 ৳34.2K

$353 ₹34.0K

-21.26%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Madurai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Dhaka and $116 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 $11.00 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% 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: $118 in Dhaka versus $116 in Madurai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $416 per month in Dhaka versus $431 in Madurai – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 106% 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 4% less than in Madurai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.