Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $2,347 in Southern Cross, rent and utilities included – about $23,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Southern Cross
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,347
/mo nomad
Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,347 in Southern Cross versus $406 in Dhaka.

  • Southern Cross $2,347
  • Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,547 in Southern Cross versus $687 in Dhaka.

  • Southern Cross $3,547
  • Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,747 in Southern Cross versus $969 in Dhaka.

  • Southern Cross $4,747
  • Dhaka $969

Living in Southern Cross is roughly 479% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Southern Cross is 74% above, Dhaka is 70% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.67 A$28.30
$2.28 ৳282
762.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.9 A$89.1
$12.33 ৳1,523
402.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.52 A$15.13
$3.95 ৳488
166.33%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.48 ৳554
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.13 ৳510
-
Cappuccino
$3.57 A$5.14
$2.28 ৳281
56.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 A$3.55
$0.33 ৳40.88
648.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 A$2.44
$0.16 ৳19.86
962.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.08 A$10.19
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.22 A$11.83
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 A$2.26
$0.85 ৳104
84.71%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 A$3.80
$0.60 ৳74.5
340.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 A$3.14
$0.69 ৳85.4
215.94%
Eggs
$2.72 A$3.92
$1.23 ৳152
121.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.42 A$13.55
$8.80 ৳1,087
7.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.15 A$13.16
$3.33 ৳412
174.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.68 A$21.13
$6.63 ৳819
121.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.83 A$5.51
$2.85 ৳352
34.39%
Banana (1kg)
$3.11 A$4.48
$0.90 ৳111
245.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.32 A$4.78
$2.34 ৳289
41.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.76 A$6.85
$0.63 ৳78.4
655.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.83 A$4.07
$0.24 ৳29.59
1079.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.38 A$3.43
$0.46 ৳57.3
417.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.40 A$3.46
$0.35 ৳42.79
585.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 A$2.11
$0.28 ৳34.24
425.00%
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)
$34.77 A$50.0
$3.28 ৳405
960.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.03 A$20.19
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.63 A$6.67
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.33 A$7.67
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.70 A$3.88
$0.42 ৳52.3
542.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$92.3 A$133
$22.43 ৳2,772
311.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 A$4.32
$1.19 ৳147
152.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 A$2.40
$0.39 ৳48.71
325.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.90 A$56.0
$3.28 ৳406
1085.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 A$1.80
$1.10 ৳136
13.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K A$34.7K
$29.4K ৳3.6M
-18.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K A$40.5K
$32.2K ৳4.0M
-12.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$201 A$289
$38.28 ৳4,729
424.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.18 A$40.56
$4.09 ৳506
589.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.8 A$81.7
$9.02 ৳1,114
529.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.78 A$71.6
$13.66 ৳1,688
264.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.91 A$25.77
$10.21 ৳1,261
75.42%
Cinema Ticket
$13.34 A$19.20
$4.11 ৳508
224.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,080 A$2,994
$90.7 ৳11.2K
2192.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K A$25.9K
$2,591 ৳320.2K
594.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.0 A$116
$17.06 ৳2,108
374.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 A$82.2
$21.38 ৳2,641
167.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.1 A$141
$51.4 ৳6,355
90.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 A$190
$36.78 ৳4,545
259.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,265 A$1,821
$133 ৳16.4K
851.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 A$1,507
$65.1 ৳8,041
1509.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,210 A$3,180
$377 ৳46.6K
485.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,939 A$2,790
$192 ৳23.8K
907.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,734 A$8,251
$1,621 ৳200.3K
253.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,261 A$7,571
$760 ৳93.9K
592.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Southern Cross
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,010 A$10.1K
$246 ৳30.4K
2748.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.25
10.48
-40.36%

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

Last update for Southern Cross: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Southern Cross
$1K
Dhaka
$65 93.8% $982
Groceries & Markets
Southern Cross
$357
Dhaka
$124 65.4% $233
Eating Out
Southern Cross
$300
Dhaka
$59 80.2% $241
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Southern Cross
$286
Dhaka
$51 82% $234
Clothing & Footwear
Southern Cross
$166
Dhaka
$57 65.6% $109
Getting Around
Southern Cross
$114
Dhaka
$27 76.2% $87
Sport & Entertainment
Southern Cross
$76
Dhaka
$22 71.4% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Southern Cross and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays 2749% 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: $62.0 in Southern Cross vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $124 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Southern Cross
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🕒 Local time
20:28 8:28 PM
18:28 6:28 PM
2 h behind Southern Cross
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
700
21,741,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 19, 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
  • Southern Cross Dhaka 6,850 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Southern Cross
  • 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
Southern Cross vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Southern Cross?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 479% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Southern Cross or Dhaka?
Average pay runs 2749% higher in Southern Cross, 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 Southern Cross and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,265 in Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross and in Dhaka?
All in, you'll spend $2,347 per month in Southern Cross versus $406 in Dhaka – a 479% 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 312% less than in Southern Cross. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Southern Cross or in Dhaka?
At $406 in Dhaka versus $2,347 in Southern Cross, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Southern Cross. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Southern Cross 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, Southern Cross or Dhaka?
Safety-wise, Southern Cross 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 479% less than in Southern Cross. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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