Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Songkhla and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $830 in Songkhla, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Songkhla
🇹🇭 Thailand
$830
/mo nomad
Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $830 in Songkhla versus $406 in Dhaka.

  • Songkhla $830
  • Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,335 in Songkhla versus $687 in Dhaka.

  • Songkhla $1,335
  • Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,839 in Songkhla versus $969 in Dhaka.

  • Songkhla $1,839
  • Dhaka $969

Living in Songkhla is roughly 105% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Songkhla 38% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.76 ฿58.9
$2.28 ৳282
-22.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.83 ฿730
$12.33 ৳1,523
77.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.68 ฿156
$3.95 ৳488
18.48%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.48 ৳554
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.13 ৳510
-
Cappuccino
$1.59 ฿53.1
$2.28 ৳281
-30.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ฿24.04
$0.33 ৳40.88
118.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 ฿7.64
$0.16 ৳19.86
43.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 ฿60.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.71 ฿157
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.5
$0.85 ৳104
95.29%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 ฿30.78
$0.60 ৳74.5
53.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.4
$0.69 ৳85.4
140.58%
Eggs
$1.42 ฿47.58
$1.23 ৳152
15.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.51 ฿552
$8.80 ৳1,087
87.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.71 ฿90.7
$3.33 ৳412
-18.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.20 ฿341
$6.63 ৳819
53.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 ฿99.5
$2.85 ৳352
4.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 ฿58.6
$0.90 ৳111
94.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 ฿74.7
$2.34 ৳289
-4.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 ฿42.09
$0.63 ৳78.4
100.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.41 ฿47.16
$0.24 ৳29.59
487.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 ฿58.9
$0.46 ৳57.3
282.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.02
$0.35 ৳42.79
208.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 ฿29.80
$0.28 ৳34.24
217.86%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$12.11 ৳1,496
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$5.31 ৳656
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.42 ৳794
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 ฿143
$3.28 ৳405
30.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.49 ฿451
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 ฿49.06
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 ฿152
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 ฿28.43
$0.42 ৳52.3
102.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.7 ฿1,994
$22.43 ৳2,772
165.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.24 ฿41.36
$1.19 ৳147
4.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 ฿27.46
$0.39 ৳48.71
110.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.80 ฿160
$3.28 ৳406
46.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿41.33
$1.10 ৳136
12.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K ฿867.1K
$29.4K ৳3.6M
-11.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K ฿1.1M
$32.2K ৳4.0M
-1.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.8 ฿2,866
$38.28 ৳4,729
124.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.49 ฿417
$4.09 ৳506
205.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.69 ฿591
$9.02 ৳1,114
96.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.41 ฿1,618
$13.66 ৳1,688
254.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.10 ฿471
$10.21 ৳1,261
38.10%
Cinema Ticket
$6.02 ฿201
$4.11 ৳508
46.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$561 ฿18.7K
$90.7 ৳11.2K
517.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K ฿356.4K
$2,591 ৳320.2K
311.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.6 ฿1,689
$17.06 ৳2,108
196.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.97 ฿968
$21.38 ৳2,641
35.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.1 ฿2,577
$51.4 ৳6,355
49.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.4 ฿2,518
$36.78 ৳4,545
104.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$236 ฿7,880
$133 ৳16.4K
77.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$173 ฿5,782
$65.1 ৳8,041
165.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$568 ฿19.0K
$377 ৳46.6K
50.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$423 ฿14.1K
$192 ৳23.8K
119.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,943 ฿64.9K
$1,621 ৳200.3K
19.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,605 ฿53.7K
$760 ৳93.9K
111.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Songkhla
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$806 ฿26.9K
$246 ৳30.4K
227.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.33
10.48
-10.97%

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

Last update for Songkhla: October 12, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Songkhla
$239
Dhaka
$124 48.2% $115
Accommodation & Living
Songkhla
$173
Dhaka
$65 62.4% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Songkhla
$116
Dhaka
$51 55.7% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Songkhla
$104
Dhaka
$57 45.4% $47
Eating Out
Songkhla
$69
Dhaka
$59 14.5% $10
Getting Around
Songkhla
$68
Dhaka
$27 60.1% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Songkhla
$60
Dhaka
$22 63.8% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Songkhla and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songkhla pays 228% 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: $22.00 in Songkhla vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $124 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Songkhla
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🕒 Local time
02:06 2:06 AM
01:06 1:06 AM
1 h behind Songkhla
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
61,758
21,741,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Songkhla Dhaka 2,140 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Songkhla
  • 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
Songkhla vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Songkhla?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Songkhla or Dhaka?
Average pay runs 228% higher in Songkhla, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Songkhla and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $236 in Songkhla versus $133 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Songkhla and in Dhaka?
All in, you'll spend $830 per month in Songkhla versus $406 in Dhaka – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 166% less than in Songkhla. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Songkhla 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 Songkhla 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 safer, Songkhla or Dhaka?
Safety-wise, Songkhla 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Songkhla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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