Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between General Santos and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $628 in General Santos, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in General Santos
Learn more

General Santos Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
Learn more

Dhaka Living Index

Jump to prices

General Santos

🇵🇭 Philippines

$628

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in General Santos and in Dhaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in General Santos and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $628 in General Santos versus $406 in Dhaka.

General Santos $628
Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,009 in General Santos versus $687 in Dhaka.

General Santos $1,009
Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,391 in General Santos versus $969 in Dhaka.

General Santos $1,391
Dhaka $969

Living in General Santos is roughly 55% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: General Santos 53% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 ₱213

$2.28 ৳282

48.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.40 ₱1,725

$12.33 ৳1,523

122.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱172

$3.95 ৳488

-31.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 ৳554

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 ৳510

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₱161

$2.28 ৳281

12.28%

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

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.33 ৳40.88

-15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₱15.83

$0.16 ৳19.86

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 ₱99.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱147

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱126

$0.85 ৳104

135.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ₱68.2

$0.60 ৳74.5

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ₱54.7

$0.69 ৳85.4

26.09%

Eggs

$1.86 ₱117

$1.23 ৳152

51.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 ₱402

$8.80 ৳1,087

-27.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 ₱300

$3.33 ৳412

43.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ₱582

$6.63 ৳819

39.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ₱172

$2.85 ৳352

-3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ₱67.2

$0.90 ৳111

18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 ₱154

$2.34 ৳289

4.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ₱74.6

$0.63 ৳78.4

88.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 ₱125

$0.24 ৳29.59

725.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 ₱207

$0.46 ৳57.3

613.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱78.2

$0.35 ৳42.79

254.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.60

$0.28 ৳34.24

142.86%

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)

$2.46 ₱155

$3.28 ৳405

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₱488

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₱106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₱24.37

$0.42 ৳52.3

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.15 ₱513

$22.43 ৳2,772

-63.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱49.25

$1.19 ৳147

-34.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.79

$0.39 ৳48.71

-35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.4

$3.28 ৳406

-75.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱70.7

$1.10 ৳136

1.82%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$29.4K ৳3.6M

-29.09%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$32.2K ৳4.0M

-40.55%

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

$76.6 ₱4,825

$38.28 ৳4,729

100.21%

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

$6.53 ₱411

$4.09 ৳506

59.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.67 ₱1,994

$9.02 ৳1,114

251.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.66 ৳1,688

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.21 ৳1,261

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 ₱309

$4.11 ৳508

19.46%

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

$109 ₱6,840

$90.7 ৳11.2K

19.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,532 ₱474.2K

$2,591 ৳320.2K

190.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,767

$17.06 ৳2,108

250.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ₱1,931

$21.38 ৳2,641

43.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 ₱4,428

$51.4 ৳6,355

36.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.7 ₱3,823

$36.78 ৳4,545

65.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱11.0K

$133 ৳16.4K

31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ₱7,068

$65.1 ৳8,041

72.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$359 ₱22.6K

$377 ৳46.6K

-4.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ₱15.0K

$192 ৳23.8K

23.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ৳200.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 ৳93.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 ৳30.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

10.48

-20.71%

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

Last update for General Santos: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

General Santos

$199 31.7%

Dhaka

$124 30.5% 37.9% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

General Santos

$115 18.3%

Dhaka

$51 12.7% 55.3% $63

Accommodation & Living

General Santos

$112 17.9%

Dhaka

$65 16% 42% $47

Clothing & Footwear

General Santos

$100 15.9%

Dhaka

$57 14.1% 42.8% $43

Eating Out

General Santos

$81 12.8%

Dhaka

$59 14.6% 26.3% $21

Getting Around

General Santos

$12 1.9%

Dhaka

$27 6.7% 133% $16

Sport & Entertainment

General Santos

$9.8 * 1.6%

Dhaka

$22 5.4% 123% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in General Santos and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in General Santos vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $124 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 General Santos

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

07:23 7:23 AM

05:23 5:23 AM

2 h behind General Santos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

697,315

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

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).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

General Santos Dhaka 4,200 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

General Santos
Dhaka

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

General Santos vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $942 in General Santos and $609 in Dhaka 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: $174 in General Santos versus $133 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $628 per month in General Santos versus $406 in Dhaka – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 175% less than in General Santos. 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, General Santos and Dhaka 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 55% less than in General Santos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.