Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Siem Reap

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $806 in Siem Reap, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Siem Reap
🇰🇭 Cambodia
$806
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Siem Reap

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $806 in Siem Reap.

  • Dhaka $406
  • Siem Reap $806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,247 in Siem Reap.

  • Dhaka $687
  • Siem Reap $1,247

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $1,689 in Siem Reap.

  • Dhaka $969
  • Siem Reap $1,689

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, Siem Reap 40% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.28 ৳282
$2.43 ៛9,884
-6.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.33 ৳1,523
$24.16 ៛98.1K
-48.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.95 ৳488
$7.81 ៛31.7K
-49.42%
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
$1.69 ៛6,857
34.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ৳40.88
$0.70 ៛2,854
-52.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 ৳19.86
$0.43 ៛1,746
-62.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.02 ៛4,148
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.98 ៛8,045
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 ৳104
$2.14 ៛8,687
-60.28%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 ৳74.5
$1.76 ៛7,159
-65.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.69 ৳85.4
$0.87 ៛3,540
-20.69%
Eggs
$1.23 ৳152
$1.72 ៛6,979
-28.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.80 ৳1,087
$15.24 ៛61.9K
-42.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.33 ৳412
$2.84 ៛11.5K
17.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.63 ৳819
$10.20 ៛41.5K
-35.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ৳352
$4.33 ៛17.6K
-34.18%
Banana (1kg)
$0.90 ৳111
$1.23 ៛5,008
-26.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ৳289
$3.68 ៛14.9K
-36.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.63 ৳78.4
$1.09 ៛4,431
-42.20%
Potato (1kg)
$0.24 ৳29.59
$1.33 ៛5,415
-81.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 ৳57.3
$1.12 ៛4,534
-58.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 ৳42.79
$1.30 ៛5,262
-73.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28 ৳34.24
$0.79 ៛3,227
-64.56%
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
$1.41 ៛5,709
132.62%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.75 ៛31.5K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.00 ៛4,051
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.26 ៛9,162
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.42 ৳52.3
$0.97 ៛3,949
-56.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.43 ৳2,772
$15.14 ៛61.5K
48.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 ৳147
$2.01 ៛8,169
-40.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 ৳48.71
$1.01 ៛4,103
-61.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 ৳406
$4.99 ៛20.3K
-34.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ৳136
$1.31 ៛5,310
-16.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K ৳3.6M
$24.8K ៛100.7M
18.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K ৳4.0M
$22.7K ៛92.2M
41.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$38.28 ৳4,729
$103 ៛417.4K
-62.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 ৳506
$5.82 ៛23.6K
-29.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.02 ৳1,114
$15.37 ៛62.4K
-41.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.66 ৳1,688
$33.20 ៛134.8K
-58.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.21 ৳1,261
$14.27 ៛57.9K
-28.45%
Cinema Ticket
$4.11 ৳508
$4.97 ៛20.2K
-17.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$90.7 ৳11.2K
$283 ៛1.2M
-67.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,591 ৳320.2K
$4,488 ៛18.2M
-42.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.06 ৳2,108
$26.69 ៛108.4K
-36.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.38 ৳2,641
$13.31 ៛54.0K
60.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51.4 ৳6,355
$68.5 ៛278.3K
-24.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.78 ৳4,545
$45.31 ៛184.1K
-18.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$133 ৳16.4K
$329 ៛1.3M
-59.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$65.1 ৳8,041
$232 ៛940.8K
-71.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$377 ৳46.6K
$669 ៛2.7M
-43.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 ৳23.8K
$434 ៛1.8M
-55.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,621 ৳200.3K
$2,454 ៛10.0M
-33.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$760 ৳93.9K
$1,099 ៛4.5M
-30.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Siem Reap
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$246 ৳30.4K
$239 ៛969.1K
3.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.48
9.2
13.91%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Siem Reap: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
$124
Siem Reap
$235 90.1% $111
Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$65
Siem Reap
$232 256% $167
Eating Out
Dhaka
$59
Siem Reap
$77 29.2% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$57
Siem Reap
$69 21.5% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$51
Siem Reap
$124 141% $73
Getting Around
Dhaka
$27
Siem Reap
$26 4.4% $1.2
Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$22
Siem Reap
$43 97.1% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $329 in Siem Reap. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Dhaka vs $24.00 in Siem Reap for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $235 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🇰🇭 Siem Reap
🕒 Local time
10:45 10:45 AM
11:45 11:45 AM
1 h ahead of Dhaka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,741,000 Capital
171,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KHR, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

Cambodian Riel exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4,062 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.46 USD). 1 EUR = 4,567 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dhaka Siem Reap 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dhaka
  • Siem Reap

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 Siem Reap: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Siem Reap cheaper than Dhaka?
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.
Where can you earn more: Dhaka or Siem Reap?
Average pay runs 3% higher in Dhaka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Dhaka and Siem Reap?
Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Dhaka versus $329 in Siem Reap. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Dhaka and in Siem Reap?
All in, you'll spend $406 per month in Dhaka versus $806 in Siem Reap – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 48% less than in Siem Reap. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Dhaka or Siem Reap?
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.
Is Dhaka or Siem Reap more family-friendly?
For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Siem Reap, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Dhaka or Siem Reap?
Safety-wise, Dhaka and Siem Reap are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Siem Reap. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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