Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarlac City and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $531 in Tarlac City, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tarlac City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$531
/mo nomad
Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $531 in Tarlac City versus $406 in Dhaka.

  • Tarlac City $531
  • Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $815 in Tarlac City versus $687 in Dhaka.

  • Tarlac City $815
  • Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,098 in Tarlac City versus $969 in Dhaka.

  • Tarlac City $1,098
  • Dhaka $969

Living in Tarlac City is roughly 31% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tarlac City 61% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.04 ₱129
$2.28 ৳282
-10.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$8.02 ₱505
$12.33 ৳1,523
-34.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.84 ₱179
$3.95 ৳488
-28.10%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.48 ৳554
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.13 ৳510
-
Cappuccino
$1.84 ₱116
$2.28 ৳281
-19.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ₱28.88
$0.33 ৳40.88
39.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ₱19.04
$0.16 ৳19.86
87.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.02 ₱64.2
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 ₱102
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 ₱107
$0.85 ৳104
100.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 ₱72.5
$0.60 ৳74.5
91.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.8
$0.69 ৳85.4
46.38%
Eggs
$1.95 ₱123
$1.23 ৳152
58.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.15 ₱325
$8.80 ৳1,087
-41.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.66 ₱168
$3.33 ৳412
-20.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.37 ₱401
$6.63 ৳819
-3.92%
Apples (1kg)
$1.61 ₱101
$2.85 ৳352
-43.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 ₱99.6
$0.90 ৳111
75.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.95 ₱123
$2.34 ৳289
-16.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.06 ₱67.1
$0.63 ৳78.4
68.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 ₱110
$0.24 ৳29.59
625.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 ₱75.6
$0.46 ৳57.3
160.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.62 ₱39.30
$0.35 ৳42.79
77.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱30.88
$0.28 ৳34.24
75.00%
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)
$2.99 ₱188
$3.28 ৳405
-8.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.80 ₱239
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₱56.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱96.9
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 ₱14.42
$0.42 ৳52.3
-45.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.22 ₱517
$22.43 ৳2,772
-63.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.76 ₱47.98
$1.19 ৳147
-36.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 ₱15.82
$0.39 ৳48.71
-35.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 ₱83.2
$3.28 ৳406
-59.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 ₱75.2
$1.10 ৳136
8.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$29.4K ৳3.6M
-27.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.5K ₱1.2M
$32.2K ৳4.0M
-39.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.9 ₱5,661
$38.28 ৳4,729
134.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.72 ₱360
$4.09 ৳506
39.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.40 ₱1,473
$9.02 ৳1,114
159.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.83 ₱2,508
$13.66 ৳1,688
191.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.18 ₱1,019
$10.21 ৳1,261
58.47%
Cinema Ticket
$5.12 ₱322
$4.11 ৳508
24.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$132 ₱8,311
$90.7 ৳11.2K
45.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K ₱669.2K
$2,591 ৳320.2K
310.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.81 ₱1,814
$17.06 ৳2,108
68.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.45 ₱1,224
$21.38 ৳2,641
-9.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.3 ₱3,924
$51.4 ৳6,355
21.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.52 ₱3,118
$36.78 ৳4,545
34.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$87.6 ₱5,512
$133 ৳16.4K
-34.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$70.7 ₱4,451
$65.1 ৳8,041
8.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$258 ₱16.3K
$377 ৳46.6K
-31.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$165 ₱10.4K
$192 ৳23.8K
-14.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$375 ₱23.6K
$1,621 ৳200.3K
-76.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$292 ₱18.4K
$760 ৳93.9K
-61.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tarlac City
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$210 ₱13.2K
$246 ৳30.4K
-14.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
10.48
-35.59%

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

Last update for Tarlac City: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tarlac City
$150
Dhaka
$124 17.6% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tarlac City
$119
Dhaka
$51 56.8% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Tarlac City
$72
Dhaka
$57 20.9% $15
Accommodation & Living
Tarlac City
$71
Dhaka
$65 7.9% $5.6
Eating Out
Tarlac City
$58
Dhaka
$59 1.8% $1
Sport & Entertainment
Tarlac City
$50
Dhaka
$22 56.3% $28
Getting Around
Tarlac City
$11
Dhaka
$27 145% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $87.6 in Tarlac City and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Tarlac City vs $12.00 in Dhaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $150 vs $124, with Dhaka cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Tarlac City
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🕒 Local time
22:07 10:07 PM
20:07 8:07 PM
2 h behind Tarlac City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
385,398
21,741,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 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
  • Tarlac City Dhaka 3,290 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tarlac 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
Tarlac City vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Tarlac City?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tarlac City or Dhaka?
On paper, salaries run 17% 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.
What is the rent difference between Tarlac City and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $87.6 in Tarlac City 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 Tarlac City and in Dhaka?
All in, you'll spend $531 per month in Tarlac City versus $406 in Dhaka – a 31% 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 173% less than in Tarlac City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Tarlac City 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 Tarlac City 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, Tarlac City or Dhaka?
Safety-wise, Tarlac 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Tarlac City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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