Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $415 in Dhaka versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $705 in Dhaka versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $995 in Dhaka versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 66% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 69% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.42 ৳297

$4.63 ฿151

-47.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.53 ৳1,539

$46.84 ฿1,532

-73.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ৳607

$8.84 ฿289

-44.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 ৳505

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 ৳615

Cappuccino

$2.18 ৳268

$3.00 ฿98.0

-27.33%

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

$0.32 ৳39.01

$0.74 ฿24.25

-56.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳20.10

$0.37 ฿11.95

-56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 ৳93.9

$2.26 ฿73.9

-66.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ৳80.7

$1.84 ฿60.1

-64.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ৳81.2

$2.24 ฿73.4

-70.54%

Eggs

$1.26 ৳154

$2.32 ฿75.7

-45.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 ৳820

$19.67 ฿643

-66.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ৳425

$3.65 ฿119

-5.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ৳798

$13.10 ฿428

-50.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 ৳342

$3.39 ฿111

-17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ৳138

$1.64 ฿53.7

-31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ৳328

$2.41 ฿79.0

10.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$2.03 ฿66.4

-55.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ৳57.4

$1.56 ฿50.9

-69.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ৳96.8

$1.50 ฿48.94

-47.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 ৳43.60

$1.02 ฿33.50

-64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.36

$0.49 ฿16.00

-38.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.34 ৳1,515

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 ৳480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ৳877

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ৳356

$4.45 ฿145

-34.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ৳49.03

$1.40 ฿45.81

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.92 ৳3,060

$11.48 ฿376

117.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 ৳153

$3.12 ฿102

-59.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.07

$1.00 ฿32.67

-61.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ৳373

$14.09 ฿461

-78.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ৳130

$1.35 ฿44.19

-21.48%

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

$28.8K ৳3.5M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

5.93%

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

$28.4K ৳3.5M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-13.77%

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

$32.13 ৳3,944

$125 ฿4,087

-74.29%

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

$4.71 ৳578

$13.57 ฿444

-65.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.35 ৳1,639

$18.52 ฿606

-27.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.36 ৳2,377

$61.5 ฿2,010

-68.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.43 ৳1,772

$16.84 ฿551

-14.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 ৳514

$9.19 ฿300

-54.41%

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

$47.21 ৳5,796

$698 ฿22.8K

-93.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,929 ৳236.8K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-87.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.22 ৳2,236

$57.8 ฿1,889

-68.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.80 ৳2,921

$35.24 ฿1,152

-32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.14 ৳5,788

$113 ฿3,699

-58.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.51 ৳4,483

$86.4 ฿2,825

-57.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 ৳14.6K

$616 ฿20.1K

-80.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.0 ৳7,852

$446 ฿14.6K

-85.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ৳37.5K

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-85.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ৳22.9K

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-87.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,306 ৳160.3K

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-65.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 ৳76.2K

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-76.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$304 ৳37.4K

$524 ฿17.1K

-41.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.52

5.33

97.37%

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

Last update for Dhaka: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $119 in Dhaka and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 72% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $292 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 72% 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: $119 in Dhaka versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $415 per month in Dhaka versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 197% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 117% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $415 in Dhaka versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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 Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dhaka and Phuket 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 197% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.