Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago City and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $428 a month against $854 in Santiago City, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Santiago City
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Santiago City Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Santiago City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$854

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $854 in Santiago City versus $428 in Dhaka.

Santiago City $854
Dhaka $428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,345 in Santiago City versus $724 in Dhaka.

Santiago City $1,345
Dhaka $724

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,836 in Santiago City versus $1,019 in Dhaka.

Santiago City $1,836
Dhaka $1,019

Living in Santiago City is roughly 99% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago City 37% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 ₱410

$2.50 ৳309

160.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.27 ₱2,472

$13.26 ৳1,638

196.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ₱308

$4.99 ৳616

-2.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 ৳602

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ৳511

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₱168

$2.35 ৳291

13.19%

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

$1.10 ₱69.4

$0.33 ৳41.07

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.94

$0.16 ৳19.62

237.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱147

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ₱200

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.85 ৳105

125.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$0.63 ৳77.9

103.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.7

$0.67 ৳83.1

50.75%

Eggs

$1.42 ₱89.2

$1.19 ৳147

19.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 ₱463

$8.83 ৳1,092

-16.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 ₱311

$3.30 ৳408

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱426

$6.41 ৳792

5.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 ₱153

$2.75 ৳340

-11.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 ₱123

$0.94 ৳116

108.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₱202

$2.37 ৳293

35.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$0.64 ৳79.1

260.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 ₱230

$0.26 ৳32.25

1303.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$0.49 ৳60.6

618.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.4

$0.30 ৳37.63

273.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.26

$0.30 ৳37.49

93.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.24 ৳1,512

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.43 ৳671

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 ৳807

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱163

$3.17 ৳392

-17.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱503

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱83.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.03

$0.38 ৳47.44

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ₱715

$23.06 ৳2,849

-50.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 ₱39.29

$1.17 ৳145

-47.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.38 ৳46.99

-39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱121

$3.28 ৳405

-41.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.4

$1.11 ৳137

13.51%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$29.1K ৳3.6M

-25.94%

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

$19.9K ₱1.3M

$32.9K ৳4.1M

-39.45%

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

$155 ₱9,755

$46.77 ৳5,779

231.26%

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

$16.27 ₱1,025

$4.51 ৳557

260.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,991

$11.22 ৳1,387

181.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,019

$16.43 ৳2,031

95.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.73 ₱298

$14.87 ৳1,838

-68.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 ₱458

$4.20 ৳519

73.10%

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

$135 ₱8,518

$91.6 ৳11.3K

47.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,571 ₱476.7K

$2,596 ৳320.8K

191.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.62 ₱2,116

$16.63 ৳2,055

102.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.43 ₱1,223

$19.80 ৳2,447

-1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 ₱5,025

$46.87 ৳5,791

70.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 ₱3,478

$37.00 ৳4,572

49.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.7K

$148 ৳18.2K

79.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.7K

$70.8 ৳8,743

139.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 ₱32.8K

$432 ৳53.4K

20.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ₱22.7K

$213 ৳26.3K

69.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,370 ₱149.2K

$1,605 ৳198.4K

47.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 ₱62.6K

$751 ৳92.8K

32.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 ৳30.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

10.67

-29.71%

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

Last update for Santiago City: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Santiago City

$213 25%

Dhaka

$123 28.8% 42.2% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santiago City

$203 23.7%

Dhaka

$63 14.6% 69.2% $140

Accommodation & Living

Santiago City

$170 19.9%

Dhaka

$71 16.5% 58.3% $99

Eating Out

Santiago City

$123 14.4%

Dhaka

$65 15.2% 47.2% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Santiago City

$85 9.9%

Dhaka

$54 12.6% 36% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Santiago City

$47 5.5%

Dhaka

$25 5.8% 46.7% $22

Getting Around

Santiago City

$14 1.7%

Dhaka

$28 6.5% 96.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Santiago City and $148 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Santiago City vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Santiago City

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

07:44 7:44 AM

05:44 5:44 AM

2 h behind Santiago City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

108,414

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Santiago City Dhaka 3,340 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Santiago City
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

Santiago City vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,281 in Santiago City and $642 in Dhaka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $266 in Santiago City versus $148 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $854 per month in Santiago City versus $428 in Dhaka – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 103% less than in Santiago City. 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, Santiago City 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 99% less than in Santiago City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.