For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $1,229 in Kyoto, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most 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 Kyoto and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,229 in Kyoto versus $406 in Dhaka.
Kyoto $1,229
Dhaka $406
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,987 in Kyoto versus $687 in Dhaka.
Kyoto $1,987
Dhaka $687
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Kyoto versus $969 in Dhaka.
Kyoto $2,745
Dhaka $969
🌍
Living in Kyoto is roughly 203% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Kyoto9% lower, Dhaka70% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.52¥1,504
$2.28৳282
317.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.84¥5,031
$12.33৳1,523
158.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.00¥791
$3.95৳488
26.58%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.48৳554
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.13৳510
-
Cappuccino
$3.35¥529
$2.28৳281
46.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83¥132
$0.33৳40.88
151.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73¥115
$0.16৳19.86
356.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18¥503
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.51¥870
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.55¥244
$0.85৳104
82.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63¥258
$0.60৳74.5
171.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.74¥907
$0.69৳85.4
731.88%
Eggs
$2.12¥335
$1.23৳152
72.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.57¥1,353
$8.80৳1,087
-2.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.58¥1,197
$3.33৳412
127.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.70¥1,690
$6.63৳819
61.39%
Apples(1kg)
$5.16¥815
$2.85৳352
81.05%
Banana(1kg)
$2.27¥359
$0.90৳111
152.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.94¥781
$2.34৳289
111.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.51¥555
$0.63৳78.4
457.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.94¥307
$0.24৳29.59
708.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.66¥262
$0.46৳57.3
260.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18¥187
$0.35৳42.79
237.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99¥156
$0.28৳34.24
253.57%
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)
$3.86¥610
$3.28৳405
17.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.52¥1,189
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56¥247
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27¥517
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.48¥234
$0.42৳52.3
252.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$63.5¥10.0K
$22.43৳2,772
182.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.25¥513
$1.19৳147
173.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.77¥596
$0.39৳48.71
866.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.62¥4,521
$3.28৳406
772.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.06¥167
$1.10৳136
-3.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K¥3.4M
$29.4K৳3.6M
-26.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K¥2.4M
$32.2K৳4.0M
-52.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102¥16.1K
$38.28৳4,729
165.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.50¥3,712
$4.09৳506
474.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.15¥4,921
$9.02৳1,114
245.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.3¥8,265
$13.66৳1,688
282.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00¥3,001
$10.21৳1,261
86.09%
Cinema Ticket
$12.06¥1,905
$4.11৳508
193.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$642¥101.5K
$90.7৳11.2K
607.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,412¥1.0M
$2,591৳320.2K
147.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8¥8,980
$17.06৳2,108
233.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.66¥7,214
$21.38৳2,641
113.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.4¥11.0K
$51.4৳6,355
34.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105¥16.5K
$36.78৳4,545
184.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$552¥87.1K
$133৳16.4K
314.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$325¥51.4K
$65.1৳8,041
399.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,743¥275.4K
$377৳46.6K
362.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$766¥121.0K
$192৳23.8K
297.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,241¥354.0K
$1,621৳200.3K
38.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,270¥200.7K
$760৳93.9K
67.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kyoto
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,889¥298.5K
$246৳30.4K
667.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.23
10.48
-78.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kyoto: October 10, 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
Kyoto
$325 26.5%
Dhaka
$65 16% ↓ 80%$260
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kyoto
$291 23.7%
Dhaka
$124 30.5% ↓ 57.5%$167
🍽Eating Out
Kyoto
$165 13.4%
Dhaka
$59 14.6% ↓ 63.9%$105
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyoto
$156 12.7%
Dhaka
$51 12.7% ↓ 67.1%$105
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kyoto
$124 10.1%
Dhaka
$57 14.1% ↓ 54.2%$67
🚌Getting Around
Kyoto
$91 7.4%
Dhaka
$27 6.7% ↓ 70.2%$64
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kyoto
$76 6.2%
Dhaka
$22 5.4% ↓ 71.4%$55
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kyoto
$766 27.9%
Dhaka
$192 19.9% ↓ 74.9%$573
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kyoto
$672 24.5%
Dhaka
$304 31.4% ↓ 54.7%$368
🍽Eating Out
Kyoto
$493 18%
Dhaka
$180 18.6% ↓ 63.5%$313
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyoto
$180 6.6%
Dhaka
$55 5.7% ↓ 69.1%$124
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kyoto
$277 10.1%
Dhaka
$127 13.1% ↓ 54.2%$150
🚌Getting Around
Kyoto
$186 6.8%
Dhaka
$55 5.7% ↓ 70.2%$130
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kyoto
$172 6.3%
Dhaka
$54 5.6% ↓ 68.6%$118
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $552 in Kyoto and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kyoto pays 668% 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: $32.00 in Kyoto vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 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
Kyoto vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Kyoto?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 203% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kyoto or Dhaka?
Average pay runs 668% higher in Kyoto, 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 Kyoto and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $552 in Kyoto 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 Kyoto and in Dhaka?
All in, you'll spend $1,229 per month in Kyoto versus $406 in Dhaka – a 203% 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 183% less than in Kyoto. 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 Kyoto or in Dhaka?
At $406 in Dhaka versus $1,229 in Kyoto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Kyoto. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kyoto or Dhaka more family-friendly?
For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kyoto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 203% less than in Kyoto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.