Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuantan and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $839 in Kuantan, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Kuantan
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Kuantan Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Kuantan

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$839

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $839 in Kuantan versus $406 in Dhaka.

Kuantan $839
Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Kuantan versus $687 in Dhaka.

Kuantan $1,219
Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,599 in Kuantan versus $969 in Dhaka.

Kuantan $1,599
Dhaka $969

Living in Kuantan is roughly 107% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuantan 38% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 MYR 10.18

$2.28 ৳282

9.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.00 MYR 48.96

$12.33 ৳1,523

-2.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 MYR 14.83

$3.95 ৳488

-8.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 ৳554

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 ৳510

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.73

$2.28 ৳281

26.32%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.33 ৳40.88

115.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.16 ৳19.86

181.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 MYR 11.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.37

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MYR 6.52

$0.85 ৳104

88.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MYR 3.35

$0.60 ৳74.5

36.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.98

$0.69 ৳85.4

113.04%

Eggs

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.23 ৳152

6.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 MYR 38.79

$8.80 ৳1,087

8.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 MYR 13.36

$3.33 ৳412

-1.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 MYR 18.04

$6.63 ৳819

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MYR 12.35

$2.85 ৳352

6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$0.90 ৳111

114.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 11.12

$2.34 ৳289

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.14

$0.63 ৳78.4

177.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$0.24 ৳29.59

616.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MYR 7.93

$0.46 ৳57.3

321.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.12

$0.35 ৳42.79

117.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.28

$0.28 ৳34.24

100.00%

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)

$4.38 MYR 17.85

$3.28 ৳405

33.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.95 MYR 81.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MYR 8.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.81

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.42 ৳52.3

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.55

$22.43 ৳2,772

-45.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MYR 4.61

$1.19 ৳147

-5.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.45

$0.39 ৳48.71

-10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.05 MYR 36.92

$3.28 ৳406

175.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$1.10 ৳136

-52.73%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$29.4K ৳3.6M

15.87%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.9K

$32.2K ৳4.0M

2.86%

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

$49.82 MYR 203

$38.28 ৳4,729

30.15%

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

$8.06 MYR 32.86

$4.09 ৳506

97.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 MYR 98.6

$9.02 ৳1,114

167.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.79 MYR 162

$13.66 ৳1,688

191.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.83 MYR 27.87

$10.21 ৳1,261

-33.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MYR 18.98

$4.11 ৳508

13.14%

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

$280 MYR 1,142

$90.7 ৳11.2K

208.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K MYR 41.8K

$2,591 ৳320.2K

295.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MYR 214

$17.06 ৳2,108

207.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.29 MYR 124

$21.38 ৳2,641

41.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.62 MYR 202

$51.4 ৳6,355

-3.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 MYR 199

$36.78 ৳4,545

32.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 MYR 1,675

$133 ৳16.4K

208.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 MYR 1,232

$65.1 ৳8,041

363.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 MYR 2,822

$377 ৳46.6K

83.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,943

$192 ৳23.8K

147.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,015 MYR 8,220

$1,621 ৳200.3K

24.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,090 MYR 4,448

$760 ৳93.9K

43.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MYR 3,976

$246 ৳30.4K

296.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.15

10.48

-60.40%

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

Last update for Kuantan: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kuantan

$302 36%

Dhaka

$65 16% 78.4% $237

Groceries & Markets

Kuantan

$212 25.3%

Dhaka

$124 30.5% 41.8% $89

Eating Out

Kuantan

$95 11.4%

Dhaka

$59 14.6% 37.8% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kuantan

$82 9.8%

Dhaka

$51 12.7% 37.4% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Kuantan

$82 9.7%

Dhaka

$57 14.1% 30.1% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Kuantan

$49 5.9%

Dhaka

$22 5.4% 55.4% $27

Getting Around

Kuantan

$17 2%

Dhaka

$27 6.7% 59.9% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Kuantan and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuantan pays 296% 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: $12.00 in Kuantan vs $12.00 in Dhaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $124, with Dhaka cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kuantan

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

06:31 6:31 AM

04:31 4:31 AM

2 h behind Kuantan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

548,014

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kuantan Dhaka 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Kuantan
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

Kuantan vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 296% higher in Kuantan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $411 in Kuantan versus $133 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $839 per month in Kuantan versus $406 in Dhaka – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 85% less than in Kuantan. 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, Kuantan 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 107% less than in Kuantan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.