Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Santiago City

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $428 a month against $854 in Santiago City, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Santiago City
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Santiago City Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$428

/mo nomad

Santiago City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$854

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Santiago City

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $428 in Dhaka versus $854 in Santiago City.

Dhaka $428
Santiago City $854

Estimated couple costs with rent: $724 in Dhaka versus $1,345 in Santiago City.

Dhaka $724
Santiago City $1,345

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,019 in Dhaka versus $1,836 in Santiago City.

Dhaka $1,019
Santiago City $1,836

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 50% less than in Santiago City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 68% lower, Santiago City 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.50 ৳309

$6.51 ₱410

-61.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.26 ৳1,638

$39.27 ₱2,472

-66.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ৳616

$4.89 ₱308

2.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 ৳602

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ৳511

Cappuccino

$2.35 ৳291

$2.66 ₱168

-11.65%

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

$0.33 ৳41.07

$1.10 ₱69.4

-70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.62

$0.54 ₱33.94

-70.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱147

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ₱200

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ৳105

$1.92 ₱121

-55.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ৳77.9

$1.28 ₱80.6

-50.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 ৳83.1

$1.01 ₱63.7

-33.66%

Eggs

$1.19 ৳147

$1.42 ₱89.2

-16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 ৳1,092

$7.36 ₱463

19.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ৳408

$4.95 ₱311

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.41 ৳792

$6.77 ₱426

-5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ৳340

$2.43 ₱153

13.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 ৳116

$1.96 ₱123

-52.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ৳293

$3.20 ₱202

-25.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ৳79.1

$2.31 ₱145

-72.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.26 ৳32.25

$3.65 ₱230

-92.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ৳60.6

$3.52 ₱221

-86.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 ৳37.63

$1.12 ₱70.4

-73.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.49

$0.58 ₱36.26

-48.28%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.24 ৳1,512

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.43 ৳671

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 ৳807

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ৳392

$2.60 ₱163

21.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱503

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱83.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ৳47.44

$0.24 ₱15.03

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.06 ৳2,849

$11.36 ₱715

102.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ৳145

$0.62 ₱39.29

88.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ৳46.99

$0.23 ₱14.53

65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 ৳405

$1.93 ₱121

69.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ৳137

$1.26 ₱79.4

-11.90%

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

$29.1K ৳3.6M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

35.03%

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

$32.9K ৳4.1M

$19.9K ₱1.3M

65.15%

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

$46.77 ৳5,779

$155 ₱9,755

-69.81%

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

$4.51 ৳557

$16.27 ₱1,025

-72.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.22 ৳1,387

$31.63 ₱1,991

-64.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.43 ৳2,031

$32.06 ₱2,019

-48.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.87 ৳1,838

$4.73 ₱298

214.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 ৳519

$7.27 ₱458

-42.23%

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

$91.6 ৳11.3K

$135 ₱8,518

-32.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,596 ৳320.8K

$7,571 ₱476.7K

-65.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.63 ৳2,055

$33.62 ₱2,116

-50.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.80 ৳2,447

$19.43 ₱1,223

1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.87 ৳5,791

$79.8 ₱5,025

-41.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.00 ৳4,572

$55.2 ₱3,478

-33.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 ৳18.2K

$266 ₱16.7K

-44.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.8 ৳8,743

$170 ₱10.7K

-58.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ৳53.4K

$521 ₱32.8K

-17.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 ৳26.3K

$360 ₱22.7K

-40.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 ৳198.4K

$2,370 ₱149.2K

-32.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 ৳92.8K

$994 ₱62.6K

-24.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 ৳30.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

7.5

42.27%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 19, 2026

Last update for Santiago City: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$123 28.8%

Santiago City

$213 25% 73% $90

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$71 16.5%

Santiago City

$170 19.9% 140% $99

Eating Out

Dhaka

$65 15.2%

Santiago City

$123 14.4% 89.4% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$63 14.6%

Santiago City

$203 23.7% 225% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$54 12.6%

Santiago City

$85 9.9% 56.3% $31

Getting Around

Dhaka

$28 6.5%

Santiago City

$14 1.7% 49.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$25 5.8%

Santiago City

$47 5.5% 87.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $148 in Dhaka and $266 in Santiago City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Dhaka vs $39.00 in Santiago City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $213 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇵🇭 Santiago City

🕒 Local time

06:21 6:21 AM

08:21 8:21 AM

2 h ahead of Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

108,414

💱 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 21, 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 21, 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 Santiago City 3,340 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
Santiago City

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 Santiago City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $642 in Dhaka and $1,281 in Santiago City 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: $148 in Dhaka versus $266 in Santiago City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $428 per month in Dhaka versus $854 in Santiago City – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 103% less than in Santiago City. 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 Santiago City 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 99% less than in Santiago City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.