Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $426 a month against $931 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$931

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $931 in Manila versus $426 in Dhaka.

Manila $931
Dhaka $426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,519 in Manila versus $735 in Dhaka.

Manila $1,519
Dhaka $735

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,106 in Manila versus $1,043 in Dhaka.

Manila $2,106
Dhaka $1,043

Living in Manila is roughly 118% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 31% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.61 ₱353

$2.49 ৳306

125.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.39 ₱1,722

$13.06 ৳1,605

109.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ₱248

$4.83 ৳594

-18.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳504

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₱161

$2.34 ৳287

9.40%

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

$1.42 ₱89.3

$0.30 ৳37.39

373.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₱51.1

$0.16 ৳19.96

406.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱73.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₱148

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱122

$0.80 ৳98.1

142.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱88.2

$0.65 ৳79.3

115.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.3

$0.71 ৳87.3

43.66%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱144

$1.21 ৳149

89.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ₱494

$8.67 ৳1,065

-9.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 ₱307

$3.21 ৳395

52.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱426

$6.70 ৳823

1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ₱213

$2.73 ৳335

23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₱117

$0.88 ৳109

110.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 ₱186

$2.37 ৳291

24.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱113

$0.65 ৳79.6

175.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱141

$0.24 ৳29.20

833.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱169

$0.49 ৳60.7

448.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 ₱138

$0.32 ৳38.88

587.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.35

$0.30 ৳37.31

96.67%

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 ৳819

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ₱197

$3.23 ৳396

-3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.42 ₱593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₱83.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱126

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.54

$0.42 ৳52.1

11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 ₱791

$22.54 ৳2,770

-44.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.91

$1.19 ৳147

-34.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.47

$0.40 ৳48.60

-42.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$3.35 ৳411

-42.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$1.15 ৳141

15.65%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$30.3K ৳3.7M

-29.56%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$33.0K ৳4.1M

-40.41%

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

$121 ₱7,635

$46.32 ৳5,692

162.09%

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

$16.04 ₱1,009

$4.33 ৳532

270.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 ₱1,525

$10.63 ৳1,306

128.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.44 ₱2,732

$16.37 ৳2,012

165.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.90 ₱371

$16.14 ৳1,983

-63.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₱417

$4.13 ৳508

60.53%

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

$613 ₱38.5K

$90.7 ৳11.1K

575.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,953 ₱563.1K

$2,649 ৳325.5K

238.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ₱3,657

$16.48 ৳2,025

252.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.18 ₱1,709

$21.00 ৳2,580

29.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 ₱4,875

$50.3 ৳6,175

54.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 ₱3,583

$36.46 ৳4,480

56.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱33.6K

$152 ৳18.6K

251.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱18.0K

$73.6 ৳9,044

289.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₱120.5K

$436 ৳53.6K

339.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₱42.6K

$214 ৳26.3K

216.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,439 ₱279.1K

$1,622 ৳199.3K

173.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,556 ₱160.8K

$761 ৳93.5K

235.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₱30.5K

$249 ৳30.6K

94.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

10.48

-29.10%

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

Last update for Manila: 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

Manila

$287 30.2%

Dhaka

$74 17.1% 74.4% $213

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$221 23.3%

Dhaka

$123 28.5% 44.6% $99

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$162 17%

Dhaka

$61 14.3% 62.1% $100

Eating Out

Manila

$107 11.3%

Dhaka

$64 15% 39.9% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$99 10.4%

Dhaka

$56 13% 43.5% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$57 6%

Dhaka

$25 5.7% 56.5% $32

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Dhaka

$27 6.4% 67.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $534 in Manila and $152 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 95% 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: $27.00 in Manila vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

15:11 3:11 PM

13:11 1:11 PM

2 h behind Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 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 PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Manila Dhaka 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Manila
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

Manila vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 95% higher in Manila, 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: $534 in Manila versus $152 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $931 per month in Manila versus $426 in Dhaka – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 79% less than in Manila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $426 in Dhaka versus $931 in Manila, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manila, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Manila 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 118% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.