Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and San Fernando

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $703 in San Fernando, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in San Fernando
Learn more

San Fernando Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

San Fernando

🇵🇭 Philippines

$703

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in San Fernando

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $703 in San Fernando.

Dhaka $406
San Fernando $703

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,059 in San Fernando.

Dhaka $687
San Fernando $1,059

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $1,415 in San Fernando.

Dhaka $969
San Fernando $1,415

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 42% less than in San Fernando, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, San Fernando 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ৳282

$4.01 ₱252

-43.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 ৳1,523

$16.71 ₱1,052

-26.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ৳488

$2.88 ₱181

37.15%

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

$1.77 ₱112

28.81%

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

$0.33 ৳40.88

$0.38 ₱23.97

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.86

$0.31 ₱19.32

-48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₱61.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱78.5

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ৳104

$1.70 ₱107

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ৳74.5

$1.11 ₱70.1

-45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ৳85.4

$0.99 ₱62.2

-30.30%

Eggs

$1.23 ৳152

$2.00 ₱126

-38.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 ৳1,087

$4.95 ₱311

77.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ৳412

$3.37 ₱212

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 ৳819

$7.79 ₱490

-14.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ৳352

$2.19 ₱138

30.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$1.26 ₱79.2

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ৳289

$2.32 ₱146

0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ৳78.4

$1.07 ₱67.1

-41.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.59

$1.69 ₱106

-85.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ৳57.3

$1.57 ₱99.0

-70.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳42.79

$0.62 ₱39.14

-43.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.24

$0.53 ₱33.09

-47.17%

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

$2.97 ₱187

10.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 ₱561

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱60.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.3

$0.26 ₱16.12

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ৳2,772

$11.02 ₱694

103.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

$0.67 ₱41.89

77.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.71

$0.23 ₱14.36

69.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 ৳406

$0.94 ₱59.3

248.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ৳136

$1.01 ₱63.8

8.91%

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

$29.4K ৳3.6M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

38.25%

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

$32.2K ৳4.0M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

69.66%

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

$38.28 ৳4,729

$141 ₱8,907

-72.94%

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

$4.09 ৳506

$17.77 ₱1,119

-76.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.02 ৳1,114

$23.40 ₱1,473

-61.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.66 ৳1,688

$32.05 ₱2,018

-57.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.21 ৳1,261

$4.68 ₱295

118.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ৳508

$4.82 ₱303

-14.73%

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

$90.7 ৳11.2K

$80.0 ₱5,033

13.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,591 ৳320.2K

$1,118 ₱70.4K

131.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.06 ৳2,108

$19.46 ₱1,225

-12.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.38 ৳2,641

$16.21 ₱1,021

31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 ৳6,355

$32.14 ₱2,023

60.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.78 ৳4,545

$48.08 ₱3,027

-23.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ৳16.4K

$262 ₱16.5K

-49.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 ৳8,041

$170 ₱10.7K

-61.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ৳46.6K

$523 ₱32.9K

-27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ৳23.8K

$356 ₱22.4K

-45.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ৳200.3K

$2,438 ₱153.5K

-33.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 ৳93.9K

$994 ₱62.6K

-23.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 ৳30.4K

$339 ₱21.3K

-27.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

74.67%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$124 30.5%

San Fernando

$170 24.3% 37.9% $47

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$65 16%

San Fernando

$170 24.2% 161% $105

Eating Out

Dhaka

$59 14.6%

San Fernando

$72 10.3% 21.4% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$57 14.1%

San Fernando

$52 7.4% 8.5% $4.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$51 12.7%

San Fernando

$183 26% 255% $131

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.7%

San Fernando

$14 2% 49.2% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$22 5.4%

San Fernando

$42 5.9% 90.5% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $262 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Fernando pays 38% 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 $17.00 in San Fernando for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $170 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇵🇭 San Fernando

🕒 Local time

20:13 8:13 PM

22:13 10:13 PM

2 h ahead of Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

354,666

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, 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).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to BDT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dhaka San Fernando 3,310 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
San Fernando

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 San Fernando: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in San Fernando. 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 $262 in San Fernando. 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 $703 in San Fernando – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 104% less than in San Fernando. 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.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in San Fernando. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.