Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Puchong

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $958 in Puchong, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Puchong
Learn more

Puchong Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Puchong

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$958

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Puchong

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $958 in Puchong.

Dhaka $406
Puchong $958

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,421 in Puchong.

Dhaka $687
Puchong $1,421

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $1,884 in Puchong.

Dhaka $969
Puchong $1,884

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 58% less than in Puchong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, Puchong 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ৳282

$3.61 MYR 14.75

-36.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 ৳1,523

$18.21 MYR 74.3

-32.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ৳488

$4.86 MYR 19.81

-18.72%

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

$3.17 MYR 12.91

-28.08%

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

$0.33 ৳40.88

$0.84 MYR 3.44

-60.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.86

$0.56 MYR 2.29

-71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.66

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.25 MYR 25.51

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ৳104

$1.95 MYR 7.97

-56.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ৳74.5

$1.12 MYR 4.56

-46.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ৳85.4

$1.49 MYR 6.07

-53.69%

Eggs

$1.23 ৳152

$1.56 MYR 6.35

-21.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 ৳1,087

$14.26 MYR 58.2

-38.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ৳412

$4.32 MYR 17.62

-22.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 ৳819

$9.76 MYR 39.81

-32.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ৳352

$3.31 MYR 13.52

-13.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$1.74 MYR 7.08

-48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ৳289

$2.26 MYR 9.24

3.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ৳78.4

$1.52 MYR 6.22

-58.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.59

$1.47 MYR 5.99

-83.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ৳57.3

$1.34 MYR 5.48

-65.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳42.79

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-70.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.24

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-49.09%

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

$4.32 MYR 17.63

-24.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 MYR 58.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 MYR 12.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.3

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-50.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ৳2,772

$12.15 MYR 49.57

84.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

$1.00 MYR 4.10

19.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.71

$0.75 MYR 3.05

-48.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 ৳406

$4.94 MYR 20.14

-33.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ৳136

$0.87 MYR 3.57

26.44%

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

$29.4K ৳3.6M

$41.7K MYR 170.2K

-29.46%

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

$32.2K ৳4.0M

$34.9K MYR 142.2K

-7.73%

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

$38.28 ৳4,729

$52.1 MYR 212

-26.47%

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

$4.09 ৳506

$9.85 MYR 40.18

-58.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.02 ৳1,114

$28.12 MYR 115

-67.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.66 ৳1,688

$32.08 MYR 131

-57.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.21 ৳1,261

$7.13 MYR 29.08

43.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ৳508

$4.98 MYR 20.33

-17.47%

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

$90.7 ৳11.2K

$223 MYR 911

-59.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,591 ৳320.2K

$12.5K MYR 50.9K

-79.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.06 ৳2,108

$65.1 MYR 266

-73.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.38 ৳2,641

$41.91 MYR 171

-48.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 ৳6,355

$86.6 MYR 353

-40.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.78 ৳4,545

$97.2 MYR 396

-62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ৳16.4K

$432 MYR 1,762

-69.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 ৳8,041

$304 MYR 1,242

-78.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ৳46.6K

$670 MYR 2,735

-43.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ৳23.8K

$477 MYR 1,948

-59.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ৳200.3K

$2,002 MYR 8,167

-19.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 ৳93.9K

$1,093 MYR 4,458

-30.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 ৳30.4K

$1,352 MYR 5,515

-81.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

4.18

150.72%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Puchong: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$124 30.5%

Puchong

$249 26% 101% $125

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$65 16%

Puchong

$304 31.8% 368% $239

Eating Out

Dhaka

$59 14.6%

Puchong

$121 12.7% 104% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$57 14.1%

Puchong

$131 13.7% 130% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$51 12.7%

Puchong

$90 9.4% 75.2% $39

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.7%

Puchong

$20 2.1% 25.7% $7

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$22 5.4%

Puchong

$42 4.4% 92.1% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $432 in Puchong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puchong pays 449% 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: $12.00 in Dhaka vs $18.00 in Puchong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $249 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇲🇾 Puchong

🕒 Local time

18:26 6:26 PM

20:26 8:26 PM

2 h ahead of Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

400,000

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Taka (৳)

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).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to BDT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dhaka Puchong 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
Puchong

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 Puchong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 449% lower in Puchong. 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: $133 in Dhaka versus $432 in Puchong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $406 per month in Dhaka versus $958 in Puchong – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 85% less than in Puchong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $406 in Dhaka versus $958 in Puchong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Puchong. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Dhaka and Puchong 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 136% less than in Puchong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.