Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $426 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$426

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Nosara

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Dhaka versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Dhaka $426
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Dhaka versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Dhaka $735
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,043 in Dhaka versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Dhaka $1,043
Nosara $3,712

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 77% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dhaka is 68% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 ৳306

$12.22 ₡5,509

-79.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.06 ৳1,605

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-78.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ৳594

$7.54 ₡3,399

-35.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳504

Cappuccino

$2.34 ৳287

$4.31 ₡1,941

-45.71%

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

$0.30 ৳37.39

$1.72 ₡773

-82.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.96

$1.35 ₡608

-88.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 ৳98.1

$1.57 ₡707

-49.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 ৳79.3

$3.17 ₡1,429

-79.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ৳87.3

$2.42 ₡1,091

-70.66%

Eggs

$1.21 ৳149

$3.57 ₡1,609

-66.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 ৳1,065

$7.43 ₡3,349

16.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ৳395

$10.42 ₡4,697

-69.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 ৳823

$13.66 ₡6,156

-50.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ৳335

$2.32 ₡1,044

17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 ৳109

$1.61 ₡728

-45.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ৳291

$4.74 ₡2,138

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ৳79.6

$1.66 ₡747

-60.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.20

$3.72 ₡1,679

-93.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ৳60.7

$3.57 ₡1,611

-86.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ৳38.88

$1.10 ₡497

-70.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.31

$2.55 ₡1,149

-88.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.07 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.51 ৳677

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 ৳819

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ৳396

$4.95 ₡2,232

-34.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.1

$1.19 ₡537

-64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.54 ৳2,770

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-68.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

$2.24 ₡1,011

-46.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ৳48.60

$1.55 ₡701

-74.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 ৳411

$8.86 ₡3,993

-62.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ৳141

$1.57 ₡708

-26.75%

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

$30.3K ৳3.7M

$21.8K ₡9.8M

38.94%

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

$33.0K ৳4.1M

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-4.63%

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

$46.32 ৳5,692

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-50.43%

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

$4.33 ৳532

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-87.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.63 ৳1,306

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-79.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.37 ৳2,012

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-77.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 ৳1,983

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-54.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 ৳508

$7.84 ₡3,535

-47.32%

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

$90.7 ৳11.1K

$490 ₡220.7K

-81.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,649 ৳325.5K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-77.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.48 ৳2,025

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-69.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 ৳2,580

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-62.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 ৳6,175

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-36.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.46 ৳4,480

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-53.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 ৳18.6K

$786 ₡354.3K

-80.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 ৳9,044

$780 ₡351.6K

-90.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 ৳53.6K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-88.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ৳26.3K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-84.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,622 ৳199.3K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-76.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 ৳93.5K

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 ৳30.6K

$876 ₡395.0K

-71.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

8.62

21.58%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$123 28.5%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 185% $227

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$74 17.1%

Nosara

$780 43% 960% $706

Eating Out

Dhaka

$64 15%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 226% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$61 14.3%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 194% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$56 13%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 115% $64

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 217% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$25 5.7%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 253% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $152 in Dhaka and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 252% 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 $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $350 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

07:05 7:05 AM

19:05 7:05 PM

12 h behind Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Taka (৳)

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to BDT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dhaka Nosara 16,240 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
Nosara

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 Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 331% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 252% lower in Nosara. 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: $152 in Dhaka versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $426 per month in Dhaka versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 331% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 220% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $426 in Dhaka versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Nosara. 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 Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dhaka and Nosara 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 331% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.