Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Olongapo

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $706 in Olongapo, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Olongapo
🇵🇭 Philippines
$706
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Olongapo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $706 in Olongapo.

  • Dhaka $406
  • Olongapo $706

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,067 in Olongapo.

  • Dhaka $687
  • Olongapo $1,067

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $1,429 in Olongapo.

  • Dhaka $969
  • Olongapo $1,429

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 43% less than in Olongapo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, Olongapo 48% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.28 ৳282
$3.94 ₱248
-42.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.33 ৳1,523
$16.49 ₱1,038
-25.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.95 ৳488
$2.77 ₱174
42.60%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.48 ৳554
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.13 ৳510
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.28 ৳281
$1.77 ₱111
28.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ৳40.88
$0.61 ₱38.13
-45.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 ৳19.86
$0.31 ₱19.29
-48.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.98 ₱61.7
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.39 ₱87.4
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 ৳104
$1.60 ₱101
-46.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 ৳74.5
$0.41 ₱26.00
46.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.69 ৳85.4
$0.82 ₱51.9
-15.85%
Eggs
$1.23 ৳152
$1.89 ₱119
-34.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.80 ৳1,087
$5.18 ₱326
69.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.33 ৳412
$2.48 ₱156
34.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.63 ৳819
$8.04 ₱506
-17.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ৳352
$2.22 ₱140
28.38%
Banana (1kg)
$0.90 ৳111
$0.91 ₱57.5
-1.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ৳289
$2.34 ₱147
-
Tomato (1kg)
$0.63 ৳78.4
$1.02 ₱64.4
-38.24%
Potato (1kg)
$0.24 ৳29.59
$1.68 ₱106
-85.71%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 ৳57.3
$1.70 ₱107
-72.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 ৳42.79
$0.62 ₱38.96
-43.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28 ৳34.24
$0.42 ₱26.25
-33.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$12.11 ৳1,496
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.31 ৳656
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.42 ৳794
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.28 ৳405
$3.01 ₱189
8.97%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$8.97 ₱565
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.91 ₱57.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.06 ₱130
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.42 ৳52.3
$0.27 ₱16.99
55.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.43 ৳2,772
$12.17 ₱766
84.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 ৳147
$0.78 ₱48.96
52.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 ৳48.71
$0.25 ₱15.85
56.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 ৳406
$1.97 ₱124
66.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ৳136
$1.12 ₱70.6
-1.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K ৳3.6M
$21.0K ₱1.3M
40.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K ৳4.0M
$19.4K ₱1.2M
65.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$38.28 ৳4,729
$127 ₱8,003
-69.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 ৳506
$17.27 ₱1,087
-76.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.02 ৳1,114
$23.49 ₱1,479
-61.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.66 ৳1,688
$32.45 ₱2,043
-57.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.21 ৳1,261
$4.67 ₱294
118.63%
Cinema Ticket
$4.11 ৳508
$4.35 ₱274
-5.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$90.7 ৳11.2K
$79.1 ₱4,977
14.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,591 ৳320.2K
$10.7K ₱670.6K
-75.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.06 ৳2,108
$29.28 ₱1,844
-41.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.38 ৳2,641
$19.67 ₱1,238
8.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51.4 ৳6,355
$71.9 ₱4,529
-28.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.78 ৳4,545
$56.7 ₱3,569
-35.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$133 ৳16.4K
$266 ₱16.8K
-50.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$65.1 ৳8,041
$173 ₱10.9K
-62.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$377 ৳46.6K
$258 ₱16.2K
46.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 ৳23.8K
$355 ₱22.3K
-45.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,621 ৳200.3K
$2,473 ₱155.7K
-34.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$760 ৳93.9K
$1,008 ₱63.5K
-24.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Olongapo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$246 ৳30.4K
$133 ₱8,371
85.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.48
6.75
55.26%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Olongapo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
$124
Olongapo
$157 26.7% $33
Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$65
Olongapo
$173 165% $107
Eating Out
Dhaka
$59
Olongapo
$72 21.9% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$57
Olongapo
$80 40.2% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$51
Olongapo
$168 227% $116
Getting Around
Dhaka
$27
Olongapo
$15 44% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$22
Olongapo
$41 87.9% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $266 in Olongapo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 85% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Dhaka vs $16.00 in Olongapo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $157 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🇵🇭 Olongapo
🕒 Local time
01:26 1:26 AM
03:26 3:26 AM
2 h ahead of Dhaka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,741,000 Capital
233,040
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dhaka Olongapo 3,280 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dhaka
  • Olongapo

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 Olongapo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Olongapo cheaper than Dhaka?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dhaka or Olongapo?
Average pay runs 85% 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 Olongapo?
Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Dhaka versus $266 in Olongapo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Dhaka and in Olongapo?
All in, you'll spend $406 per month in Dhaka versus $706 in Olongapo – a 74% 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 Dhaka runs roughly 84% less than in Olongapo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Dhaka or Olongapo?
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.
Is it better to live in Dhaka or in Olongapo?
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 safer, Dhaka or Olongapo?
Safety-wise, Dhaka and Olongapo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Olongapo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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