Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Rui'an

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $426 a month against $715 in Rui'an, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
Learn more

Dhaka Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Rui'an
Learn more

Rui'an Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$426

/mo nomad

Rui'an

🇨🇳 China

$715

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Rui'an

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Dhaka versus $715 in Rui'an.

Dhaka $426
Rui'an $715

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Dhaka versus $1,141 in Rui'an.

Dhaka $735
Rui'an $1,141

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,043 in Dhaka versus $1,566 in Rui'an.

Dhaka $1,043
Rui'an $1,566

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 40% less than in Rui'an, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 68% lower, Rui'an 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 ৳306

$2.86 ¥19.11

-12.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.06 ৳1,606

$21.28 ¥142

-38.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ৳595

$4.79 ¥32.00

0.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳607

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳505

Cappuccino

$2.34 ৳287

$2.97 ¥19.85

-21.21%

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

$0.30 ৳37.42

$0.44 ¥2.93

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.98

$0.27 ¥1.80

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ¥5.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.61

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 ৳98.2

$1.88 ¥12.53

-57.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 ৳79.4

$1.61 ¥10.77

-59.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ৳87.3

$0.96 ¥6.41

-26.04%

Eggs

$1.21 ৳149

$1.54 ¥10.32

-21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 ৳1,066

$12.88 ¥86.1

-32.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ৳395

$3.10 ¥20.72

3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 ৳824

$10.28 ¥68.7

-34.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ৳335

$1.80 ¥12.01

51.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 ৳109

$1.20 ¥8.01

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ৳292

$1.49 ¥9.95

59.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ৳79.6

$1.10 ¥7.32

-40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.23

$0.75 ¥5.04

-68.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ৳60.7

$0.89 ¥5.92

-44.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ৳38.92

$0.56 ¥3.77

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.34

$0.50 ¥3.37

-40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.07 ৳1,485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.51 ৳678

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 ৳820

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ৳397

$3.12 ¥20.85

3.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 ¥70.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.57

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.1

$0.27 ¥1.78

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.54 ৳2,772

$16.92 ¥113

33.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

$1.42 ¥9.47

-16.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ৳48.64

$0.35 ¥2.37

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 ৳411

$6.72 ¥44.88

-50.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ৳141

$1.13 ¥7.56

1.77%

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

$30.3K ৳3.7M

$19.7K ¥132.0K

53.41%

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

$33.0K ৳4.1M

$17.4K ¥116.0K

90.30%

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

$46.32 ৳5,697

$45.23 ¥302

2.41%

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

$4.33 ৳532

$9.67 ¥64.6

-55.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.63 ৳1,307

$11.80 ¥78.9

-9.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.37 ৳2,014

$41.87 ¥280

-60.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 ৳1,985

$13.75 ¥91.9

17.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 ৳508

$5.76 ¥38.46

-28.30%

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

$90.7 ৳11.2K

$329 ¥2,199

-72.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,649 ৳325.8K

$16.6K ¥110.7K

-84.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.48 ৳2,026

$43.49 ¥291

-62.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 ৳2,582

$30.24 ¥202

-30.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 ৳6,181

$72.0 ¥481

-30.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.46 ৳4,484

$72.5 ¥485

-49.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 ৳18.7K

$280 ¥1,874

-45.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 ৳9,053

$195 ¥1,301

-62.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 ৳53.6K

$590 ¥3,941

-26.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ৳26.3K

$354 ¥2,364

-39.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,622 ৳199.4K

$3,050 ¥20.4K

-46.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 ৳93.6K

$1,998 ¥13.3K

-61.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 ৳30.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

3.89

169.41%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 4, 2026

Last update for Rui'an: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$123 28.5%

Rui'an

$198 27.6% 61.5% $75

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$74 17.1%

Rui'an

$195 27.2% 165% $121

Eating Out

Dhaka

$64 15%

Rui'an

$84 11.8% 30.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$61 14.3%

Rui'an

$67 9.3% 8.8% $5.4

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$56 13%

Rui'an

$98 13.7% 75.7% $42

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.4%

Rui'an

$21 3% 22.7% $6.2

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$25 5.7%

Rui'an

$53 7.5% 117% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $152 in Dhaka and $280 in Rui'an. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Dhaka vs $21.00 in Rui'an for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $198 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇨🇳 Rui'an

🕒 Local time

12:21 12:21 PM

14:21 2:21 PM

2 h ahead of Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

213,600

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.13 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Taka (৳)

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.13 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

USD to BDT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dhaka Rui'an 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
Rui'an

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 Rui'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $639 in Dhaka and $1,072 in Rui'an to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $152 in Dhaka versus $280 in Rui'an. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $426 per month in Dhaka versus $715 in Rui'an – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 33% less than in Rui'an. 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 Rui'an 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 68% less than in Rui'an. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.