Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $747 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Island Garden City of Samal
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Island Garden City of Samal Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Island Garden City of Samal

🇵🇭 Philippines

$747

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Island Garden City of Samal 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 Island Garden City of Samal and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $406 in Dhaka.

Island Garden City of Samal $747
Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,102 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $687 in Dhaka.

Island Garden City of Samal $1,102
Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,457 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $969 in Dhaka.

Island Garden City of Samal $1,457
Dhaka $969

Living in Island Garden City of Samal is roughly 84% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Island Garden City of Samal 45% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.22 ₱76.6

$2.28 ৳282

-46.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.02 ₱1,072

$12.33 ৳1,523

38.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 ₱256

$3.95 ৳488

3.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 ৳554

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 ৳510

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₱137

$2.28 ৳281

-4.39%

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

$1.04 ₱65.7

$0.33 ৳40.88

215.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱40.33

$0.16 ৳19.86

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₱74.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₱128

$0.85 ৳104

138.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱71.5

$0.60 ৳74.5

90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱55.2

$0.69 ৳85.4

27.54%

Eggs

$1.87 ₱118

$1.23 ৳152

52.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 ₱394

$8.80 ৳1,087

-28.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 ₱292

$3.33 ৳412

39.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 ₱573

$6.63 ৳819

37.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₱172

$2.85 ৳352

-4.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₱70.4

$0.90 ৳111

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₱150

$2.34 ৳289

1.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.63 ৳78.4

80.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 ₱125

$0.24 ৳29.59

725.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₱215

$0.46 ৳57.3

641.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 ₱76.0

$0.35 ৳42.79

245.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱45.46

$0.28 ৳34.24

157.14%

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)

$2.49 ₱156

$3.28 ৳405

-24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₱489

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₱106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱18.09

$0.42 ৳52.3

-30.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 ₱732

$22.43 ৳2,772

-48.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.0

$1.19 ৳147

-30.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.83

$0.39 ৳48.71

-35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₱121

$3.28 ৳406

-41.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.10 ৳136

12.73%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$29.4K ৳3.6M

-27.96%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$32.2K ৳4.0M

-41.33%

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

$98.4 ₱6,196

$38.28 ৳4,729

157.08%

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

$19.24 ₱1,211

$4.09 ৳506

370.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 ₱1,952

$9.02 ৳1,114

243.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.89 ₱1,882

$13.66 ৳1,688

118.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 ₱288

$10.21 ৳1,261

-55.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 ₱307

$4.11 ৳508

18.49%

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

$107 ₱6,729

$90.7 ৳11.2K

17.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,691 ₱484.2K

$2,591 ৳320.2K

196.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.60 ₱2,115

$17.06 ৳2,108

96.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 ₱1,238

$21.38 ৳2,641

-8.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ₱4,433

$51.4 ৳6,355

36.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.4 ₱3,929

$36.78 ৳4,545

69.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₱15.7K

$133 ৳16.4K

87.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₱12.4K

$65.1 ৳8,041

202.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 ₱31.7K

$377 ৳46.6K

33.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ₱19.8K

$192 ৳23.8K

63.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 ₱129.4K

$1,621 ৳200.3K

26.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,083 ₱68.2K

$760 ৳93.9K

42.44%

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 Island Garden City of Samal: 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

Island Garden City of Samal

$199 26.6%

Dhaka

$124 30.5% 37.8% $75

Accommodation & Living

Island Garden City of Samal

$197 26.3%

Dhaka

$65 16% 66.9% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Island Garden City of Samal

$149 19.9%

Dhaka

$51 12.7% 65.4% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Island Garden City of Samal

$84 11.2%

Dhaka

$57 14.1% 31.9% $27

Eating Out

Island Garden City of Samal

$65 8.7%

Dhaka

$59 14.6% 8.2% $5.3

Sport & Entertainment

Island Garden City of Samal

$40 5.3%

Dhaka

$22 5.4% 44.8% $18

Getting Around

Island Garden City of Samal

$15 2%

Dhaka

$27 6.7% 83.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $250 in Island Garden City of Samal and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal 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

🇵🇭 Island Garden City of Samal

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

03:40 3:40 AM

01:40 1:40 AM

2 h behind Island Garden City of Samal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

116,771

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 = 70.79 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

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Highest

Between locations

Island Garden City of Samal Dhaka 4,200 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Island Garden City of Samal
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

Island Garden City of Samal vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,121 in Island Garden City of Samal 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: $250 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $133 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $747 per month in Island Garden City of Samal versus $406 in Dhaka – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 93% less than in Island Garden City of Samal. 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, Island Garden City of Samal 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 84% less than in Island Garden City of Samal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.