Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Rajshahi

For one person, living is cheaper in Rajshahi: $319 a month against $406 in Dhaka, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
Learn more

Dhaka Living Index
15

Cost of Living Index in Rajshahi
Learn more

Rajshahi Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Rajshahi

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Rajshahi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $319 in Rajshahi.

Dhaka $406
Rajshahi $319

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $502 in Rajshahi.

Dhaka $687
Rajshahi $502

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $686 in Rajshahi.

Dhaka $969
Rajshahi $686

Living in Dhaka is roughly 27% more expensive than in Rajshahi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, Rajshahi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ৳282

$0.84 ৳104

171.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 ৳1,523

$7.99 ৳987

54.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ৳488

$2.81 ৳348

40.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 ৳554

$3.95 ৳488

13.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 ৳510

$2.22 ৳275

86.04%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ৳281

$1.37 ৳169

66.42%

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

$0.33 ৳40.88

$0.33 ৳41.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.86

$0.16 ৳19.16

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ৳104

$0.69 ৳84.8

23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ৳74.5

$0.64 ৳78.7

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ৳85.4

$0.63 ৳78.2

9.52%

Eggs

$1.23 ৳152

$1.14 ৳141

7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 ৳1,087

$8.84 ৳1,092

-0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ৳412

$3.18 ৳393

4.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 ৳819

$6.58 ৳813

0.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ৳352

$2.59 ৳320

10.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$0.95 ৳118

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ৳289

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ৳78.4

$0.48 ৳59.0

31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.59

$0.24 ৳29.36

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ৳57.3

$0.46 ৳57.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳42.79

$0.32 ৳39.00

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.24

$0.30 ৳37.44

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.11 ৳1,496

$12.27 ৳1,516

-1.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.31 ৳656

$1.60 ৳197

231.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 ৳794

$2.07 ৳256

210.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ৳405

$3.32 ৳411

-1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.3

$0.07 ৳8.48

500.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ৳2,772

$12.24 ৳1,513

83.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.71

$0.31 ৳37.85

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 ৳406

$0.95 ৳117

245.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ৳136

$1.14 ৳141

-3.51%

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

$29.4K ৳3.6M

$29.9K ৳3.7M

-1.46%

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

$32.2K ৳4.0M

$32.5K ৳4.0M

-1.14%

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

$38.28 ৳4,729

$44.85 ৳5,542

-14.65%

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

$4.09 ৳506

$4.12 ৳509

-0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.02 ৳1,114

$10.36 ৳1,281

-12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.66 ৳1,688

$5.93 ৳733

130.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.21 ৳1,261

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ৳508

$4.13 ৳511

-0.48%

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

$90.7 ৳11.2K

$13.45 ৳1,662

574.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,591 ৳320.2K

$688 ৳85.0K

276.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.06 ৳2,108

$7.11 ৳878

139.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.38 ৳2,641

$14.66 ৳1,812

45.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 ৳6,355

$25.27 ৳3,123

103.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.78 ৳4,545

$21.41 ৳2,646

71.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ৳16.4K

$74.5 ৳9,199

78.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 ৳8,041

$46.35 ৳5,727

40.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ৳46.6K

$133 ৳16.4K

184.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ৳23.8K

$96.0 ৳11.9K

100.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ৳200.3K

$495 ৳61.1K

227.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 ৳93.9K

$2,284 ৳282.2K

-66.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 ৳30.4K

$219 ৳27.1K

12.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Rajshahi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$124 30.5%

Rajshahi

$119 37.5% 3.4% $4.2

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$65 16%

Rajshahi

$46 14.5% 28.8% $19

Eating Out

Dhaka

$59 14.6%

Rajshahi

$33 10.5% 43.7% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$57 14.1%

Rajshahi

$31 9.7% 46% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$51 12.7%

Rajshahi

$59 18.6% 15.5% $7.9

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.7%

Rajshahi

$15 4.8% 44.2% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$22 5.4%

Rajshahi

$14 4.5% 35.1% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $74.5 in Rajshahi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 12% 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 $8.00 in Rajshahi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $119 per month, with Rajshahi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇧🇩 Rajshahi

🕒 Local time

16:06 4:06 PM

Same time as Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

451,425

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Rajshahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rajshahi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Dhaka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Dhaka versus $74.5 in Rajshahi. 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 $319 in Rajshahi – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rajshahi runs roughly 83% less than in Dhaka. 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 Rajshahi 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.

Safety-wise, Dhaka and Rajshahi 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 Rajshahi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.