Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sylhet and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Sylhet: $362 a month against $428 in Dhaka, rent and utilities included – about $790 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

18

Cost of Living Index in Sylhet
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Sylhet Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Sylhet

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$362

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $362 in Sylhet versus $428 in Dhaka.

Sylhet $362
Dhaka $428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $611 in Sylhet versus $724 in Dhaka.

Sylhet $611
Dhaka $724

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $860 in Sylhet versus $1,019 in Dhaka.

Sylhet $860
Dhaka $1,019

Living in Sylhet costs roughly 15% less than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sylhet 73% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 ৳292

$2.50 ৳309

-5.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.42 ৳1,411

$13.26 ৳1,638

-13.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 ৳487

$4.99 ৳616

-21.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 ৳607

$4.87 ৳602

0.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 ৳496

$4.14 ৳511

-2.90%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ৳247

$2.35 ৳291

-14.89%

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

$0.34 ৳41.44

$0.33 ৳41.07

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ৳18.55

$0.16 ৳19.62

-6.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 ৳98.7

$0.85 ৳105

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ৳68.6

$0.63 ৳77.9

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ৳79.9

$0.67 ৳83.1

-2.99%

Eggs

$1.16 ৳143

$1.19 ৳147

-2.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 ৳972

$8.83 ৳1,092

-10.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 ৳395

$3.30 ৳408

-3.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ৳803

$6.41 ৳792

1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ৳327

$2.75 ৳340

-4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ৳115

$0.94 ৳116

-1.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 ৳298

$2.37 ৳293

2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ৳73.9

$0.64 ৳79.1

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.26 ৳32.24

$0.26 ৳32.25

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ৳60.5

$0.49 ৳60.6

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 ৳40.78

$0.30 ৳37.63

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ৳36.30

$0.30 ৳37.49

-3.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 ৳341

$12.24 ৳1,512

-77.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ৳247

$5.43 ৳671

-63.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 ৳479

$6.53 ৳807

-40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 ৳341

$3.17 ৳392

-12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ৳88.7

$0.38 ৳47.44

89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.16 ৳2,986

$23.06 ৳2,849

4.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ৳152

$1.17 ৳145

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ৳20.49

$0.38 ৳46.99

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ৳136

$3.28 ৳405

-66.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ৳131

$1.11 ৳137

-4.50%

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

$29.0K ৳3.6M

$29.1K ৳3.6M

-0.24%

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

$33.0K ৳4.1M

$32.9K ৳4.1M

0.36%

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

$25.29 ৳3,124

$46.77 ৳5,779

-45.93%

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

$4.56 ৳563

$4.51 ৳557

1.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 ৳1,366

$11.22 ৳1,387

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.36 ৳1,156

$16.43 ৳2,031

-43.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ৳490

$14.87 ৳1,838

-73.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.03 ৳498

$4.20 ৳519

-4.05%

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

$28.20 ৳3,484

$91.6 ৳11.3K

-69.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$975 ৳120.5K

$2,596 ৳320.8K

-62.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.84 ৳1,957

$16.63 ৳2,055

-4.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.88 ৳1,962

$19.80 ৳2,447

-19.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.71 ৳4,536

$46.87 ৳5,791

-21.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.59 ৳3,657

$37.00 ৳4,572

-20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 ৳15.7K

$148 ৳18.2K

-14.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.7 ৳6,884

$70.8 ৳8,743

-21.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$171 ৳21.1K

$432 ৳53.4K

-60.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ৳19.4K

$213 ৳26.3K

-26.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$706 ৳87.3K

$1,605 ৳198.4K

-56.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$346 ৳42.7K

$751 ৳92.8K

-53.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 ৳28.1K

$245 ৳30.3K

-6.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

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

Last update for Sylhet: October 18, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Sylhet

$118 32.6%

Dhaka

$123 28.8% 4.5% $5.3

Eating Out

Sylhet

$57 15.7%

Dhaka

$65 15.2% 14.8% $8.4

Accommodation & Living

Sylhet

$56 15.4%

Dhaka

$71 16.5% 27% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Sylhet

$44 12.2%

Dhaka

$54 12.6% 22.7% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sylhet

$41 11.3%

Dhaka

$63 14.6% 52.8% $22

Getting Around

Sylhet

$29 8%

Dhaka

$28 6.5% 4.9% $1.4

Sport & Entertainment

Sylhet

$17 4.8%

Dhaka

$25 5.8% 42.6% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Sylhet and $148 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 7% 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: $11.00 in Sylhet vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $118 vs $123 per month, with Sylhet cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇩 Sylhet

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

19:56 7:56 PM

Same time as Sylhet

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

526,412

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Sylhet vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sylhet is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Dhaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $127 in Sylhet versus $148 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $362 per month in Sylhet versus $428 in Dhaka – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sylhet runs roughly 5% less than in Dhaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sylhet 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.

Expats usually find Sylhet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Dhaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.