Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hua-lien and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $1,076 in Hua-lien, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Hua-lien
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,076
/mo nomad
Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hua-lien 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 Hua-lien and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,076 in Hua-lien versus $406 in Dhaka.

  • Hua-lien $1,076
  • Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Hua-lien versus $687 in Dhaka.

  • Hua-lien $1,820
  • Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,563 in Hua-lien versus $969 in Dhaka.

  • Hua-lien $2,563
  • Dhaka $969

Living in Hua-lien is roughly 165% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hua-lien 20% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.99 NT$129
$2.28 ৳282
75.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.74 NT$932
$12.33 ৳1,523
133.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.28 NT$139
$3.95 ৳488
8.35%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.48 ৳554
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.13 ৳510
-
Cappuccino
$2.78 NT$90.3
$2.28 ৳281
21.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 NT$30.01
$0.33 ৳40.88
181.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 NT$18.18
$0.16 ৳19.86
250.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.33 NT$43.12
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 NT$67.6
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.93 NT$95.1
$0.85 ৳104
244.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 NT$56.9
$0.60 ৳74.5
193.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.50 NT$146
$0.69 ৳85.4
552.17%
Eggs
$1.98 NT$64.1
$1.23 ৳152
60.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.63 NT$636
$8.80 ৳1,087
123.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.20 NT$201
$3.33 ৳412
86.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.54 NT$828
$6.63 ৳819
285.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.66 NT$86.3
$2.85 ৳352
-6.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.50 NT$80.9
$0.90 ৳111
177.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.21 NT$104
$2.34 ৳289
37.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.18 NT$103
$0.63 ৳78.4
404.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 NT$78.7
$0.24 ৳29.59
912.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 NT$74.6
$0.46 ৳57.3
400.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.02 NT$65.5
$0.35 ৳42.79
477.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 NT$31.72
$0.28 ৳34.24
250.00%
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)
$3.88 NT$126
$3.28 ৳405
18.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.63 NT$410
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 NT$62.1
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 NT$76.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 NT$19.64
$0.42 ৳52.3
45.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.66 NT$1,189
$22.43 ৳2,772
63.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 NT$99.8
$1.19 ৳147
158.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 NT$9.91
$0.39 ৳48.71
-20.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.36 NT$336
$3.28 ৳406
215.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 NT$28.98
$1.10 ৳136
-19.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K NT$1.1M
$29.4K ৳3.6M
14.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K NT$862.6K
$32.2K ৳4.0M
-17.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 NT$3,332
$38.28 ৳4,729
168.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.48 NT$632
$4.09 ৳506
376.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.54 NT$407
$9.02 ৳1,114
39.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.61 NT$1,187
$13.66 ৳1,688
168.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.21 ৳1,261
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.12 NT$328
$4.11 ৳508
146.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$767 NT$24.9K
$90.7 ৳11.2K
744.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.4K NT$533.1K
$2,591 ৳320.2K
534.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.1 NT$1,850
$17.06 ৳2,108
234.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.07 NT$1,170
$21.38 ৳2,641
68.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.5 NT$2,576
$51.4 ৳6,355
54.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 NT$3,455
$36.78 ৳4,545
189.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$404 NT$13.1K
$133 ৳16.4K
203.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$253 NT$8,204
$65.1 ৳8,041
288.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 NT$31.9K
$377 ৳46.6K
160.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$740 NT$24.0K
$192 ৳23.8K
284.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,755 NT$251.5K
$1,621 ৳200.3K
378.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,989 NT$161.8K
$760 ৳93.9K
556.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hua-lien
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,940 NT$95.3K
$246 ৳30.4K
1094.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.13
10.48
-79.68%

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

Last update for Hua-lien: 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
Hua-lien
$368
Dhaka
$124 66.4% $244
Accommodation & Living
Hua-lien
$253
Dhaka
$65 74.3% $188
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hua-lien
$135
Dhaka
$51 61.9% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Hua-lien
$126
Dhaka
$57 54.6% $69
Eating Out
Hua-lien
$95
Dhaka
$59 37.4% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Hua-lien
$57
Dhaka
$22 61.5% $35
Getting Around
Hua-lien
$44
Dhaka
$27 37.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $404 in Hua-lien and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hua-lien pays 1095% 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: $29.00 in Hua-lien vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $124 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇼 Hua-lien
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🕒 Local time
08:48 8:48 AM
06:48 6:48 AM
2 h behind Hua-lien
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
105,034
21,741,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hua-lien Dhaka 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hua-lien
  • 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
Hua-lien vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Hua-lien?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Hua-lien or Dhaka?
Average pay runs 1095% higher in Hua-lien, 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 Hua-lien and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $404 in Hua-lien versus $133 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Hua-lien and in Dhaka?
All in, you'll spend $1,076 per month in Hua-lien versus $406 in Dhaka – a 165% 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 63% less than in Hua-lien. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Hua-lien or in Dhaka?
At $406 in Dhaka versus $1,076 in Hua-lien, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Hua-lien. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Hua-lien or in Dhaka?
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 safer, Hua-lien or Dhaka?
Safety-wise, Hua-lien 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Hua-lien. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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