Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Lipe and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $426 a month against $2,083 in Koh Lipe, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Koh Lipe
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Koh Lipe Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Koh Lipe

🇹🇭 Thailand

$2,083

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,083 in Koh Lipe versus $426 in Dhaka.

Koh Lipe $2,083
Dhaka $426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,633 in Koh Lipe versus $735 in Dhaka.

Koh Lipe $3,633
Dhaka $735

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,183 in Koh Lipe versus $1,043 in Dhaka.

Koh Lipe $5,183
Dhaka $1,043

Living in Koh Lipe is roughly 389% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Koh Lipe is 55% above, Dhaka is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 ฿245

$2.49 ৳305

193.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 ฿1,761

$13.06 ৳1,604

302.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.01 ฿469

$4.83 ৳594

190.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳504

Cappuccino

$4.35 ฿146

$2.34 ৳287

85.90%

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

$1.50 ฿50.2

$0.30 ৳37.38

400.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ฿26.36

$0.16 ৳19.96

393.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ฿135

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 ฿194

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$0.80 ৳98.1

167.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ฿57.9

$0.65 ৳79.3

166.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ฿66.0

$0.71 ৳87.2

177.46%

Eggs

$2.69 ฿90.0

$1.21 ৳149

122.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.13 ฿808

$8.67 ৳1,065

178.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 ฿138

$3.21 ৳395

28.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 ฿467

$6.70 ৳823

108.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ฿124

$2.73 ৳335

35.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.88 ৳108

130.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 ฿94.5

$2.37 ৳291

18.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 ฿85.7

$0.65 ৳79.5

293.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ฿60.4

$0.24 ৳29.19

650.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.4

$0.49 ৳60.6

248.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ฿46.15

$0.32 ৳38.87

331.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ฿21.26

$0.30 ৳37.30

113.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.07 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.51 ৳677

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 ৳818

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 ฿182

$3.23 ৳396

68.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.53 ฿788

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 ฿72.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ฿116

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.43 ฿115

$0.42 ৳52.1

716.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.54 ৳2,769

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 ฿151

$1.19 ৳147

278.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.40 ৳48.58

297.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 ฿194

$3.35 ৳411

72.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ฿72.7

$1.15 ৳141

88.70%

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

$40.8K ฿1.4M

$30.3K ৳3.7M

34.82%

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

$39.7K ฿1.3M

$33.0K ৳4.1M

20.17%

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

$113 ฿3,775

$46.32 ৳5,690

143.42%

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

$12.76 ฿427

$4.33 ৳531

194.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 ฿649

$10.63 ৳1,306

82.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ฿2,171

$16.37 ৳2,011

296.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.63 ฿456

$16.14 ৳1,982

-15.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.39 ฿314

$4.13 ৳508

127.36%

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

$690 ฿23.1K

$90.7 ৳11.1K

660.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿485.7K

$2,649 ৳325.4K

447.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 ฿2,238

$16.48 ৳2,024

305.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.89 ฿1,001

$21.00 ৳2,579

42.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 ฿3,329

$50.3 ৳6,173

97.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ฿3,099

$36.46 ৳4,478

153.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,850 ฿61.9K

$152 ৳18.6K

1119.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 ฿39.2K

$73.6 ৳9,041

1489.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,267 ฿176.3K

$436 ৳53.5K

1108.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,976 ฿99.6K

$214 ৳26.3K

1292.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,743 ฿292.7K

$1,622 ৳199.2K

439.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,355 ฿212.8K

$761 ৳93.5K

734.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 ৳30.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.48

-46.85%

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

Last update for Koh Lipe: October 4, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Koh Lipe

$1.2K 56.2%

Dhaka

$74 17.1% 93.7% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Koh Lipe

$334 16%

Dhaka

$123 28.5% 63.3% $211

Eating Out

Koh Lipe

$194 9.3%

Dhaka

$64 15% 66.8% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Koh Lipe

$145 7%

Dhaka

$61 14.3% 57.7% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Koh Lipe

$130 6.2%

Dhaka

$56 13% 57% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Koh Lipe

$84 4%

Dhaka

$25 5.7% 70.5% $59

Getting Around

Koh Lipe

$26 * 1.3%

Dhaka

$27 6.4% 4.8% $1.3

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 $1,850 in Koh Lipe and $152 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Koh Lipe vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Koh Lipe

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

12:17 12:17 PM

11:17 11:17 AM

1 h behind Koh Lipe

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

800

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Koh Lipe Dhaka 2,140 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Koh Lipe
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

Koh Lipe vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 389% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,124 in Koh Lipe and $639 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: $1,850 in Koh Lipe versus $152 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $690 in Koh Lipe versus $90.7 in Dhaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dhaka – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $53.0 in Koh Lipe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $426 in Dhaka versus $2,083 in Koh Lipe, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Koh Lipe. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Koh Lipe 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 389% less than in Koh Lipe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.