Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhaka and Zhengzhou

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $683 in Zhengzhou, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Zhengzhou
🇨🇳 China
$683
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhaka and in Zhengzhou

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Dhaka versus $683 in Zhengzhou.

  • Dhaka $406
  • Zhengzhou $683

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Dhaka versus $1,088 in Zhengzhou.

  • Dhaka $687
  • Zhengzhou $1,088

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $969 in Dhaka versus $1,492 in Zhengzhou.

  • Dhaka $969
  • Zhengzhou $1,492

Living in Dhaka costs roughly 41% less than in Zhengzhou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dhaka 70% lower, Zhengzhou 49% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.28 ৳282
$2.17 ¥14.54
5.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.33 ৳1,523
$16.72 ¥112
-26.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.95 ৳488
$4.57 ¥30.54
-13.57%
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
$2.41 ¥16.13
-5.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ৳40.88
$0.57 ¥3.80
-42.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 ৳19.86
$0.28 ¥1.88
-42.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.88 ¥5.90
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.66 ¥11.07
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 ৳104
$1.74 ¥11.60
-51.15%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 ৳74.5
$1.71 ¥11.42
-64.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.69 ৳85.4
$0.89 ¥5.92
-22.47%
Eggs
$1.23 ৳152
$0.98 ¥6.58
25.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.80 ৳1,087
$8.26 ¥55.2
6.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.33 ৳412
$3.16 ¥21.15
5.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.63 ৳819
$10.52 ¥70.3
-36.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ৳352
$1.49 ¥9.97
91.28%
Banana (1kg)
$0.90 ৳111
$1.04 ¥6.93
-13.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ৳289
$1.07 ¥7.15
118.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.63 ৳78.4
$1.17 ¥7.81
-46.15%
Potato (1kg)
$0.24 ৳29.59
$0.67 ¥4.48
-64.18%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 ৳57.3
$0.73 ¥4.91
-36.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 ৳42.79
$0.67 ¥4.50
-47.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28 ৳34.24
$0.71 ¥4.77
-60.56%
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
$3.31 ¥22.15
-0.91%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$14.74 ¥98.6
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.94 ¥6.32
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.10 ¥14.02
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.42 ৳52.3
$0.13 ¥0.90
223.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.43 ৳2,772
$14.89 ¥99.6
50.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 ৳147
$1.46 ¥9.75
-18.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 ৳48.71
$0.31 ¥2.10
25.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 ৳406
$3.54 ¥23.67
-7.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ৳136
$1.27 ¥8.52
-13.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K ৳3.6M
$19.2K ¥128.6K
53.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K ৳4.0M
$17.4K ¥116.6K
84.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$38.28 ৳4,729
$70.2 ¥469
-45.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 ৳506
$7.19 ¥48.08
-43.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.02 ৳1,114
$10.50 ¥70.2
-14.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.66 ৳1,688
$40.79 ¥273
-66.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.21 ৳1,261
$13.58 ¥90.8
-24.82%
Cinema Ticket
$4.11 ৳508
$6.01 ¥40.17
-31.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$90.7 ৳11.2K
$391 ¥2,614
-76.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,591 ৳320.2K
$30.2K ¥202.0K
-91.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.06 ৳2,108
$43.52 ¥291
-60.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.38 ৳2,641
$33.43 ¥224
-36.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51.4 ৳6,355
$73.6 ¥492
-30.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.78 ৳4,545
$70.1 ¥469
-47.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$133 ৳16.4K
$215 ¥1,436
-38.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$65.1 ৳8,041
$162 ¥1,085
-59.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$377 ৳46.6K
$574 ¥3,839
-34.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 ৳23.8K
$370 ¥2,473
-47.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,621 ৳200.3K
$2,825 ¥18.9K
-42.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$760 ৳93.9K
$1,515 ¥10.1K
-49.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhaka
Zhengzhou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$246 ৳30.4K
$918 ¥6,137
-73.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.48
3.29
218.54%

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

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Zhengzhou: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Dhaka
$124
Zhengzhou
$191 54.5% $67
Accommodation & Living
Dhaka
$65
Zhengzhou
$162 149% $97
Eating Out
Dhaka
$59
Zhengzhou
$71 19.8% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Dhaka
$57
Zhengzhou
$99 74.2% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhaka
$51
Zhengzhou
$88 71% $36
Getting Around
Dhaka
$27
Zhengzhou
$18 32.4% $8.8
Sport & Entertainment
Dhaka
$22
Zhengzhou
$53 141% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Dhaka and $215 in Zhengzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhengzhou pays 273% 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 Zhengzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $191 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🇨🇳 Zhengzhou
🕒 Local time
22:10 10:10 PM
00:10 12:10 AM
2 h ahead of Dhaka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,741,000 Capital
12,600,574
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

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).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dhaka Zhengzhou 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dhaka
  • Zhengzhou

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 Zhengzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zhengzhou cheaper than Dhaka?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dhaka or Zhengzhou?
On paper, salaries run 273% lower in Zhengzhou. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Dhaka and Zhengzhou?
Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Dhaka versus $215 in Zhengzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Dhaka and in Zhengzhou?
All in, you'll spend $406 per month in Dhaka versus $683 in Zhengzhou – a 68% 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 51% less than in Zhengzhou. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Dhaka or Zhengzhou?
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 it better to live in Dhaka or in Zhengzhou?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Zhengzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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