Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Songkhla

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $830 in Songkhla, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Songkhla
Learn more

Songkhla Living Index

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Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Songkhla

🇹🇭 Thailand

$830

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Songkhla

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $830 in Songkhla.

Dhaka $406
Songkhla $830

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,335 in Songkhla.

Dhaka $687
Songkhla $1,335

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $1,839 in Songkhla.

Dhaka $969
Songkhla $1,839

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 51% less than in Songkhla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, Songkhla 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ৳282

$1.76 ฿58.9

29.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 ৳1,523

$21.83 ฿730

-43.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ৳488

$4.68 ฿156

-15.60%

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

$1.59 ฿53.1

43.40%

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

$0.33 ৳40.88

$0.72 ฿24.04

-54.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ৳19.86

$0.23 ฿7.64

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 ฿60.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ฿157

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ৳104

$1.66 ฿55.5

-48.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ৳74.5

$0.92 ฿30.78

-34.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ৳85.4

$1.66 ฿55.4

-58.43%

Eggs

$1.23 ৳152

$1.42 ฿47.58

-13.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 ৳1,087

$16.51 ฿552

-46.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ৳412

$2.71 ฿90.7

22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 ৳819

$10.20 ฿341

-35.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ৳352

$2.98 ฿99.5

-4.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 ৳111

$1.75 ฿58.6

-48.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ৳289

$2.24 ฿74.7

4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ৳78.4

$1.26 ฿42.09

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ৳29.59

$1.41 ฿47.16

-82.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ৳57.3

$1.76 ฿58.9

-73.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳42.79

$1.08 ฿36.02

-67.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.24

$0.89 ฿29.80

-68.54%

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

$4.27 ฿143

-23.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 ฿451

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 ฿49.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ฿152

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.3

$0.85 ฿28.43

-50.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ৳2,772

$59.7 ฿1,994

-62.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳147

$1.24 ฿41.36

-4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳48.71

$0.82 ฿27.46

-52.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 ৳406

$4.80 ฿160

-31.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ৳136

$1.24 ฿41.33

-11.29%

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

$29.4K ৳3.6M

$25.9K ฿867.1K

13.44%

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

$32.2K ৳4.0M

$31.6K ฿1.1M

1.80%

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

$38.28 ৳4,729

$85.8 ฿2,866

-55.36%

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

$4.09 ৳506

$12.49 ฿417

-67.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.02 ৳1,114

$17.69 ฿591

-49.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.66 ৳1,688

$48.41 ฿1,618

-71.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.21 ৳1,261

$14.10 ฿471

-27.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ৳508

$6.02 ฿201

-31.73%

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

$90.7 ৳11.2K

$561 ฿18.7K

-83.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,591 ৳320.2K

$10.7K ฿356.4K

-75.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.06 ৳2,108

$50.6 ฿1,689

-66.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.38 ৳2,641

$28.97 ฿968

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 ৳6,355

$77.1 ฿2,577

-33.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.78 ৳4,545

$75.4 ฿2,518

-51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ৳16.4K

$236 ฿7,880

-43.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 ৳8,041

$173 ฿5,782

-62.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ৳46.6K

$568 ฿19.0K

-33.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ৳23.8K

$423 ฿14.1K

-54.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ৳200.3K

$1,943 ฿64.9K

-16.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 ৳93.9K

$1,605 ฿53.7K

-52.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 ৳30.4K

$806 ฿26.9K

-69.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

9.33

12.33%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dhaka

$124 30.5%

Songkhla

$239 28.8% 93.1% $115

Accommodation & Living

Dhaka

$65 16%

Songkhla

$173 20.8% 166% $108

Eating Out

Dhaka

$59 14.6%

Songkhla

$69 8.4% 16.9% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Dhaka

$57 14.1%

Songkhla

$104 12.6% 83.2% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhaka

$51 12.7%

Songkhla

$116 14% 126% $65

Getting Around

Dhaka

$27 6.7%

Songkhla

$68 8.2% 151% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Dhaka

$22 5.4%

Songkhla

$60 7.3% 176% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $236 in Songkhla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songkhla pays 228% 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 $22.00 in Songkhla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $239 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🇹🇭 Songkhla

🕒 Local time

02:00 2:00 AM

03:00 3:00 AM

1 h ahead of Dhaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,741,000 Capital

61,758

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Taka (৳)

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to BDT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dhaka Songkhla 2,140 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Dhaka
Songkhla

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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 228% lower in Songkhla. 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 $236 in Songkhla. 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 $830 in Songkhla – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 166% less than in Songkhla. 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 Songkhla 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 105% less than in Songkhla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.