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: $426 in Madurai versus $417 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $697 in Madurai versus $707 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $968 in Madurai versus $997 in Dhaka.

Living in Madurai is roughly 2% more expensive than Dhaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madurai 68% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ₹171

$2.40 ৳295

-25.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.57 ₹1,108

$12.97 ৳1,591

-10.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ₹489

$4.88 ৳599

4.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 ৳489

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 ৳614

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₹170

$2.27 ৳278

-21.59%

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

$0.68 ₹65.5

$0.32 ৳38.76

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₹21.07

$0.15 ৳17.91

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 ₹181

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹272

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹61.9

$0.83 ৳101

-21.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.4

$0.71 ৳86.5

-25.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.4

$0.65 ৳80.3

23.08%

Eggs

$0.85 ₹81.7

$1.29 ৳158

-34.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ₹663

$6.74 ৳827

2.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 ₹344

$3.45 ৳423

4.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 ৳817

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ₹310

$2.74 ৳336

18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.9

$1.14 ৳140

-29.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ₹192

$2.67 ৳327

-25.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.91 ৳111

-36.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.8

$0.44 ৳53.7

84.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.9

$0.79 ৳96.6

-1.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₹67.7

$0.35 ৳43.42

102.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₹50.7

$0.30 ৳37.07

76.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.06 ৳1,480

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 ৳477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 ৳850

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ₹432

$3.03 ৳372

48.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 ₹632

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹220

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₹420

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

$6.68 ₹640

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.10

$0.39 ৳48.34

-38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 ₹1,134

$24.89 ৳3,054

-52.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₹99.1

$1.22 ৳149

-14.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.99

$0.43 ৳52.7

-44.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹109

$3.06 ৳375

-62.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.04 ৳127

17.31%

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

$18.4K ₹1.8M

$28.9K ৳3.5M

-36.42%

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

$22.9K ₹2.2M

$28.5K ৳3.5M

-19.70%

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

$31.45 ₹3,009

$32.66 ৳4,006

-3.70%

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

$4.01 ₹383

$4.75 ৳583

-15.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.00 ₹766

$12.98 ৳1,593

-38.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.12 ₹1,638

$19.31 ৳2,369

-11.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.10 ₹680

$14.78 ৳1,813

-51.96%

Cinema Ticket

$2.69 ₹258

$4.11 ৳504

-34.55%

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

$62.2 ₹5,947

$46.92 ৳5,756

32.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,864 ₹178.4K

$1,979 ৳242.8K

-5.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.45 ₹2,531

$18.61 ৳2,283

42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.69 ₹2,554

$24.19 ৳2,967

10.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.11 ₹4,604

$46.70 ৳5,728

3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.93 ₹4,682

$36.80 ৳4,514

32.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 ₹11.0K

$117 ৳14.3K

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.9 ₹7,170

$63.5 ৳7,785

18.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 ₹31.0K

$316 ৳38.8K

2.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₹20.1K

$184 ৳22.5K

14.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 ₹114.7K

$1,493 ৳183.2K

-19.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$470 ₹44.9K

$659 ৳80.8K

-28.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 ₹34.7K

$286 ৳35.1K

26.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.8

10.52

-6.84%

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

Last update for Madurai: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Madurai and $117 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 27% 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 Madurai vs $13.00 in Dhaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $136 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

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Madurai pays 27% more on average, 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: $115 in Madurai versus $117 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $426 per month in Madurai versus $417 in Dhaka – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 110% less than in Madurai. 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.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Madurai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.