Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Tongi Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Tongi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $437 in Dhaka versus $327 in Tongi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $731 in Dhaka versus $538 in Tongi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,024 in Dhaka versus $748 in Tongi.

Living in Dhaka is roughly 34% more expensive than in Tongi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 68% lower, Tongi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 ৳296

$2.05 ৳252

17.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.34 ৳1,639

$9.09 ৳1,117

46.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ৳612

$4.80 ৳590

3.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 ৳617

$2.75 ৳337

82.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ৳512

$4.15 ৳510

0.48%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ৳295

$1.91 ৳235

25.65%

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

$0.33 ৳40.75

$0.32 ৳39.38

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ৳18.99

$0.13 ৳15.36

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 ৳103

$0.74 ৳91.4

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ৳76.7

$0.50 ৳61.1

24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ৳85.7

$0.59 ৳73.1

18.64%

Eggs

$1.22 ৳150

$1.16 ৳143

5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 ৳1,093

$7.91 ৳972

12.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ৳401

$2.30 ৳282

41.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.60 ৳811

$6.15 ৳756

7.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ৳348

$2.53 ৳311

11.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 ৳117

$0.83 ৳102

14.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ৳283

$2.19 ৳269

5.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 ৳83.1

$0.63 ৳76.8

7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.23 ৳28.16

$0.25 ৳30.83

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ৳63.4

$0.52 ৳63.8

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 ৳38.62

$0.45 ৳54.7

-31.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳37.22

$0.28 ৳34.03

7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.18 ৳1,496

$8.50 ৳1,045

43.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.49 ৳674

$2.60 ৳319

111.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.67 ৳819

$4.67 ৳574

42.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ৳397

$2.89 ৳355

11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ৳48.52

$0.42 ৳51.7

-4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 ৳2,839

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ৳146

$0.83 ৳102

43.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ৳52.5

$0.40 ৳48.85

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ৳407

$2.79 ৳342

18.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ৳136

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

$30.2K ৳3.7M

$29.9K ৳3.7M

0.96%

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

$32.4K ৳4.0M

$32.3K ৳4.0M

0.20%

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

$45.49 ৳5,589

$30.12 ৳3,700

51.03%

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

$4.00 ৳491

$4.06 ৳499

-1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.31 ৳1,390

$8.22 ৳1,010

37.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.78 ৳2,061

$13.50 ৳1,659

24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 ৳1,846

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 ৳491

$3.61 ৳444

10.53%

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

$90.4 ৳11.1K

$25.64 ৳3,150

252.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,675 ৳328.6K

$1,530 ৳188.0K

74.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.73 ৳2,055

$22.30 ৳2,739

-24.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.85 ৳2,438

$23.86 ৳2,931

-16.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.1 ৳6,278

$32.59 ৳4,003

56.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.96 ৳4,540

$33.54 ৳4,120

10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$155 ৳19.1K

$87.0 ৳10.7K

78.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 ৳9,079

$52.0 ৳6,389

42.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ৳53.7K

$169 ৳20.7K

159.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 ৳26.8K

$116 ৳14.3K

87.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,644 ৳201.9K

$690 ৳84.7K

138.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$764 ৳93.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 ৳29.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.48

10.44

0.38%

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

Last update for Dhaka: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tongi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $155 in Dhaka and $87.0 in Tongi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Dhaka vs $9.00 in Tongi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $110 per month, with Tongi cheaper across the board.

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 Tongi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tongi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $656 in Dhaka and $491 in Tongi 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: $155 in Dhaka versus $87.0 in Tongi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $90.4 in Dhaka versus $25.64 in Tongi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tongi – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $13.00 in Dhaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Tongi 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 Tongi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.