Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $428 a month against $622 in Sibolga, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sibolga
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$622
/mo nomad
Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$428
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $622 in Sibolga versus $428 in Dhaka.

  • Sibolga $622
  • Dhaka $428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Sibolga versus $724 in Dhaka.

  • Sibolga $990
  • Dhaka $724

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,358 in Sibolga versus $1,019 in Dhaka.

  • Sibolga $1,358
  • Dhaka $1,019

Living in Sibolga is roughly 45% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibolga 54% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
$2.50 ৳309
-34.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.70 Rp 246.7K
$13.26 ৳1,638
3.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.22 Rp 57.9K
$4.99 ৳616
-35.47%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.87 ৳602
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.14 ৳511
-
Cappuccino
$1.48 Rp 26.6K
$2.35 ৳291
-37.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 Rp 7,872
$0.33 ৳41.07
33.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 Rp 4,506
$0.16 ৳19.62
56.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 Rp 39.8K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 Rp 61.2K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 Rp 21.1K
$0.85 ৳105
37.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.07 Rp 19.2K
$0.63 ৳77.9
69.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 Rp 15.6K
$0.67 ৳83.1
29.85%
Eggs
$1.47 Rp 26.4K
$1.19 ৳147
23.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.11 Rp 128.0K
$8.83 ৳1,092
-19.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.99 Rp 53.9K
$3.30 ৳408
-9.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.76 Rp 139.7K
$6.41 ৳792
21.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 Rp 40.6K
$2.75 ৳340
-17.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 Rp 22.8K
$0.94 ৳116
35.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 Rp 30.2K
$2.37 ৳293
-29.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.23 Rp 22.2K
$0.64 ৳79.1
92.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 Rp 23.3K
$0.26 ৳32.25
396.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 34.1K
$0.49 ৳60.6
287.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$0.30 ৳37.63
163.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,745
$0.30 ৳37.49
43.33%
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)
$2.75 Rp 49.5K
$3.17 ৳392
-13.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.83 Rp 374.9K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 Rp 52.8K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,222
$0.38 ৳47.44
-23.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$23.06 ৳2,849
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 Rp 9,423
$1.17 ৳145
-55.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.38 Rp 6,798
$0.38 ৳46.99
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.60 Rp 46.8K
$3.28 ৳405
-20.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$1.11 ৳137
-27.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.7K Rp 426.4M
$29.1K ৳3.6M
-18.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K Rp 548.3M
$32.9K ৳4.1M
-7.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.7 Rp 1.2M
$46.77 ৳5,779
40.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.24 Rp 76.3K
$4.51 ৳557
-5.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.44 Rp 349.9K
$11.22 ৳1,387
73.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.82 Rp 356.7K
$16.43 ৳2,031
20.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.41 Rp 151.4K
$14.87 ৳1,838
-43.44%
Cinema Ticket
$2.72 Rp 48.9K
$4.20 ৳519
-35.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$93.2 Rp 1.7M
$91.6 ৳11.3K
1.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,764 Rp 139.7M
$2,596 ৳320.8K
199.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.07 Rp 775.2K
$16.63 ৳2,055
158.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.87 Rp 519.7K
$19.80 ৳2,447
45.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.4 Rp 1.4M
$46.87 ৳5,791
60.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.3 Rp 1.3M
$37.00 ৳4,572
90.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$231 Rp 4.2M
$148 ৳18.2K
56.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$149 Rp 2.7M
$70.8 ৳8,743
110.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$541 Rp 9.7M
$432 ৳53.4K
25.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$367 Rp 6.6M
$213 ৳26.3K
72.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,188 Rp 21.4M
$1,605 ৳198.4K
-26.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$785 Rp 14.1M
$751 ৳92.8K
4.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sibolga
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$245 ৳30.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
10.67
-11.34%

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

Last update for Sibolga: October 17, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Sibolga
$196
Dhaka
$123 37.1% $73
Accommodation & Living
Sibolga
$149
Dhaka
$71 52.5% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Sibolga
$98
Dhaka
$54 44.7% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sibolga
$89
Dhaka
$63 30% $27
Eating Out
Sibolga
$61
Dhaka
$65 6.6% $4
Sport & Entertainment
Sibolga
$25
Dhaka
$25 1.7% $0.4
Getting Around
Sibolga
$3.6 *
Dhaka
$28 675% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Sibolga and $148 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Sibolga vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Sibolga
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🕒 Local time
02:57 2:57 AM
01:57 1:57 AM
1 h behind Sibolga
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
95,471
21,741,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sibolga Dhaka 2,610 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sibolga
  • 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
Sibolga vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Sibolga?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $933 in Sibolga 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.
What is the rent difference between Sibolga and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $231 in Sibolga versus $148 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $93.2 in Sibolga versus $91.6 in Dhaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Sibolga or in Dhaka?
Dining out is cheaper in Dhaka – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $14.00 in Sibolga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 enough for either Sibolga or Dhaka?
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.
Is it better to live in Sibolga or in Dhaka?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Sibolga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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