Cost of Living Comparison Between Madurai and Dhaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Madurai and Dhaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $415 in Madurai versus $431 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $670 in Madurai versus $738 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $924 in Madurai versus $1,044 in Dhaka.

Living in Madurai costs roughly 4% less than in Dhaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madurai 70% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.69 ₹161

$2.39 ৳292

-29.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.53 ₹1,000

$12.72 ৳1,558

-17.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 ₹391

$4.97 ৳609

-17.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.74 ৳581

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 ৳496

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₹224

$2.35 ৳288

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

$0.53 ₹50.7

$0.32 ৳39.34

65.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₹23.79

$0.19 ৳23.33

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ₹196

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ₹381

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 ₹52.9

$0.78 ৳95.7

-28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹53.8

$0.60 ৳73.3

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.4

$0.68 ৳83.4

-4.41%

Eggs

$0.80 ₹75.9

$1.17 ৳143

-31.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 ₹581

$9.18 ৳1,125

-33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ₹293

$3.32 ৳406

-6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 ৳832

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ₹280

$2.80 ৳344

5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.5

$0.92 ৳113

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ₹160

$2.32 ৳284

-27.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.4

$0.62 ৳75.9

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.7

$0.23 ৳27.94

186.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₹62.1

$0.52 ৳64.3

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₹61.4

$0.35 ৳42.28

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.46

$0.29 ৳35.51

6.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.43 ৳1,523

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 ৳679

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 ৳801

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ₹467

$3.34 ৳409

47.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 ₹989

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹198

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ₹432

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$10.04 ₹954

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.98

$0.40 ৳48.86

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.44 ₹992

$22.95 ৳2,811

-54.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹108

$1.20 ৳147

-5.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₹33.75

$0.43 ৳52.7

-16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 ₹119

$3.31 ৳405

-62.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ₹100

$1.06 ৳130

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

$18.8K ₹1.8M

$29.7K ৳3.6M

-36.48%

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

$23.7K ₹2.3M

$32.0K ৳3.9M

-25.93%

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

$23.27 ₹2,210

$45.69 ৳5,596

-49.07%

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

$4.59 ₹436

$4.10 ৳503

11.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.66 ₹728

$11.54 ৳1,413

-33.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.82 ₹1,502

$16.84 ৳2,063

-6.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₹606

$14.98 ৳1,835

-57.41%

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 ₹245

$3.99 ৳489

-35.34%

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

$41.98 ₹3,987

$96.1 ৳11.8K

-56.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,607 ₹152.6K

$2,694 ৳330.0K

-40.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.45 ₹2,417

$17.09 ৳2,093

48.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.98 ₹2,467

$19.57 ৳2,397

32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 ₹5,145

$51.3 ৳6,284

5.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.14 ₹3,147

$37.19 ৳4,556

-10.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 ₹13.8K

$147 ৳18.1K

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.3 ₹7,815

$70.2 ৳8,596

17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₹29.8K

$441 ৳54.0K

-28.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ₹18.8K

$220 ৳27.0K

-10.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 ₹107.0K

$1,602 ৳196.3K

-29.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$489 ₹46.4K

$769 ৳94.1K

-36.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 ₹33.7K

$251 ৳30.8K

41.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

10.44

-8.14%

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

Last update for Madurai: August 29, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $146 in Madurai and $147 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Madurai vs $13.00 in Dhaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $129 vs $124, with Dhaka cheaper for home cooking.

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

Madurai vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madurai is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Madurai, 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: $146 in Madurai versus $147 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $415 per month in Madurai versus $431 in Dhaka – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Madurai runs roughly 120% less than in Dhaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Madurai 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.

Expats usually find Madurai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.