Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Rawang

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $741 in Rawang, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
Learn more

Dhaka Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Rawang
Learn more

Rawang Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Rawang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$741

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Rawang

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $741 in Rawang.

Dhaka $406
Rawang $741

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,183 in Rawang.

Dhaka $687
Rawang $1,183

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $1,624 in Rawang.

Dhaka $969
Rawang $1,624

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 45% less than in Rawang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, Rawang 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ৳282

$3.75 MYR 15.31

-39.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 ৳1,523

$19.68 MYR 80.3

-37.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ৳488

$5.04 MYR 20.55

-21.63%

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

$2.99 MYR 12.20

-23.75%

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

$0.33 ৳40.88

$0.83 MYR 3.38

-60.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.86

$0.39 MYR 1.61

-58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 MYR 17.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.89

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ৳104

$1.95 MYR 7.96

-56.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ৳74.5

$1.04 MYR 4.26

-42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ৳85.4

$1.76 MYR 7.19

-60.80%

Eggs

$1.23 ৳152

$2.23 MYR 9.08

-44.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 ৳1,087

$14.15 MYR 57.7

-37.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ৳412

$4.48 MYR 18.29

-25.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 ৳819

$9.85 MYR 40.19

-32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ৳352

$3.06 MYR 12.49

-6.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$1.84 MYR 7.49

-51.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ৳289

$2.63 MYR 10.73

-11.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ৳78.4

$1.44 MYR 5.89

-56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.59

$1.32 MYR 5.37

-81.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ৳57.3

$1.33 MYR 5.43

-65.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳42.79

$1.18 MYR 4.80

-70.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.24

$0.57 MYR 2.34

-50.88%

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

$4.54 MYR 18.53

-27.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.13 MYR 78.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 12.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 MYR 20.75

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.3

$0.77 MYR 3.12

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ৳2,772

$12.31 MYR 50.2

82.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

$1.66 MYR 6.77

-28.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.71

$0.37 MYR 1.52

5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 ৳406

$6.88 MYR 28.05

-52.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ৳136

$0.89 MYR 3.64

23.60%

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

$29.4K ৳3.6M

$42.4K MYR 173.0K

-30.59%

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

$32.2K ৳4.0M

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

-7.21%

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

$38.28 ৳4,729

$36.56 MYR 149

4.70%

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

$4.09 ৳506

$9.78 MYR 39.90

-58.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.02 ৳1,114

$29.31 MYR 120

-69.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.66 ৳1,688

$39.87 MYR 163

-65.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.21 ৳1,261

$7.13 MYR 29.08

43.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ৳508

$4.90 MYR 19.99

-16.12%

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

$90.7 ৳11.2K

$301 MYR 1,227

-69.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,591 ৳320.2K

$10.9K MYR 44.6K

-76.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.06 ৳2,108

$59.8 MYR 244

-71.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.38 ৳2,641

$35.75 MYR 146

-40.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 ৳6,355

$82.6 MYR 337

-37.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.78 ৳4,545

$70.9 MYR 289

-48.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ৳16.4K

$140 MYR 569

-4.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 ৳8,041

$103 MYR 421

-36.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ৳46.6K

$577 MYR 2,354

-34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ৳23.8K

$232 MYR 945

-16.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ৳200.3K

$2,051 MYR 8,368

-20.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 ৳93.9K

$1,090 MYR 4,445

-30.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 ৳30.4K

$1,035 MYR 4,223

-76.23%

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 Rawang: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$124 30.5%

Rawang

$266 35.9% 115% $142

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$65 16%

Rawang

$103 13.9% 58.7% $38

Eating Out

Dhaka

$59 14.6%

Rawang

$116 15.6% 95.2% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$57 14.1%

Rawang

$112 15.1% 96.6% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$51 12.7%

Rawang

$76 10.2% 47.2% $24

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.7%

Rawang

$19 2.6% 30.8% $8.4

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$22 5.4%

Rawang

$50 6.7% 127% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $140 in Rawang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawang pays 321% 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 $20.00 in Rawang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $266 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇲🇾 Rawang

🕒 Local time

10:08 10:08 AM

12:08 12:08 PM

2 h ahead of Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

50,000

💱 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 Rawang 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
Rawang

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 Rawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 321% lower in Rawang. 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 $140 in Rawang. 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 $741 in Rawang – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 82% less than in Rawang. 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 Dhaka 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 Rawang 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 83% less than in Rawang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.