For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $1,381 in Kobe, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kobe and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,381 in Kobe versus $406 in Dhaka.
Kobe $1,381
Dhaka $406
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,056 in Kobe versus $687 in Dhaka.
Kobe $2,056
Dhaka $687
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,732 in Kobe versus $969 in Dhaka.
Kobe $2,732
Dhaka $969
🌍
Living in Kobe is roughly 240% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Kobe is 2% above, Dhaka is 70% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.75¥1,224
$2.28৳282
239.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.99¥4,896
$12.33৳1,523
151.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.76¥752
$3.95৳488
20.51%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.48৳554
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.13৳510
-
Cappuccino
$2.34¥370
$2.28৳281
2.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14¥180
$0.33৳40.88
245.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62¥97.6
$0.16৳19.86
287.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.05¥324
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33¥369
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.53¥242
$0.85৳104
80.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25¥198
$0.60৳74.5
108.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.19¥662
$0.69৳85.4
507.25%
Eggs
$2.00¥317
$1.23৳152
62.60%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.57¥1,985
$8.80৳1,087
42.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.06¥1,115
$3.33৳412
112.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.20¥2,717
$6.63৳819
159.43%
Apples(1kg)
$7.99¥1,263
$2.85৳352
180.35%
Banana(1kg)
$2.94¥464
$0.90৳111
226.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.09¥804
$2.34৳289
117.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$7.64¥1,208
$0.63৳78.4
1112.70%
Potato(1kg)
$3.86¥610
$0.24৳29.59
1508.33%
Onion(1kg)
$3.37¥533
$0.46৳57.3
632.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18¥186
$0.35৳42.79
237.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88¥140
$0.28৳34.24
214.29%
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)
$3.40¥538
$3.28৳405
3.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.29¥1,309
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96¥310
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50¥237
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.47¥232
$0.42৳52.3
250.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$64.1¥10.1K
$22.43৳2,772
185.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17¥501
$1.19৳147
166.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.17¥501
$0.39৳48.71
712.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.12¥4,127
$3.28৳406
696.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.10¥173
$1.10৳136
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.1K¥3.2M
$29.4K৳3.6M
-31.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.5K¥2.4M
$32.2K৳4.0M
-51.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$143¥22.6K
$38.28৳4,729
272.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.62¥3,732
$4.09৳506
477.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.28¥4,942
$9.02৳1,114
246.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.38¥7,170
$13.66৳1,688
232.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.47¥1,813
$10.21৳1,261
12.34%
Cinema Ticket
$11.46¥1,810
$4.11৳508
178.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$317¥50.0K
$90.7৳11.2K
248.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,099¥963.6K
$2,591৳320.2K
135.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.73¥7,857
$17.06৳2,108
191.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.25¥3,988
$21.38৳2,641
18.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$46.07¥7,279
$51.4৳6,355
-10.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.8¥10.2K
$36.78৳4,545
76.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$683¥107.8K
$133৳16.4K
413.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$459¥72.5K
$65.1৳8,041
605.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,057¥166.9K
$377৳46.6K
180.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$741¥117.1K
$192৳23.8K
285.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,263¥673.4K
$1,621৳200.3K
162.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,821¥445.7K
$760৳93.9K
271.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kobe
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,962¥310.0K
$246৳30.4K
697.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.02
10.48
-80.73%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kobe: October 12, 2026
Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kobe
$459 33.3%
Dhaka
$65 16% ↓ 85.8%$394
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kobe
$356 25.8%
Dhaka
$124 30.5% ↓ 65.3%$233
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kobe
$198 14.3%
Dhaka
$51 12.7% ↓ 74%$146
🍽Eating Out
Kobe
$126 9.2%
Dhaka
$59 14.6% ↓ 53%$67
🚌Getting Around
Kobe
$89 6.5%
Dhaka
$27 6.7% ↓ 69.3%$62
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kobe
$84 6.1%
Dhaka
$57 14.1% ↓ 31.9%$27
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kobe
$68 5%
Dhaka
$22 5.4% ↓ 68%$46
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kobe
$741 27.1%
Dhaka
$192 19.9% ↓ 74%$549
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kobe
$844 30.9%
Dhaka
$304 31.4% ↓ 63.9%$539
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kobe
$221 8.1%
Dhaka
$55 5.7% ↓ 74.9%$166
🍽Eating Out
Kobe
$411 15%
Dhaka
$180 18.6% ↓ 56.2%$231
🚌Getting Around
Kobe
$181 6.6%
Dhaka
$55 5.7% ↓ 69.4%$126
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kobe
$186 6.8%
Dhaka
$127 13.1% ↓ 31.8%$59
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kobe
$148 5.4%
Dhaka
$54 5.6% ↓ 63.5%$94
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Kobe and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kobe pays 697% 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: $31.00 in Kobe vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $124 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.
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
Kobe vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Kobe?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 240% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kobe or Dhaka?
Average pay runs 697% higher in Kobe, 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 Kobe and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $683 in Kobe 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 Kobe and in Dhaka?
All in, you'll spend $1,381 per month in Kobe versus $406 in Dhaka – a 240% 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 186% less than in Kobe. 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 Kobe or in Dhaka?
At $406 in Dhaka versus $1,381 in Kobe, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Kobe. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kobe or Dhaka more family-friendly?
For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kobe, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Kobe or Dhaka?
Safety-wise, Kobe 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 240% less than in Kobe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.