Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vigan and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $718 in Vigan, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Vigan
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Vigan Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
Learn more

Dhaka Living Index

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Vigan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$718

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $718 in Vigan versus $406 in Dhaka.

Vigan $718
Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,125 in Vigan versus $687 in Dhaka.

Vigan $1,125
Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,533 in Vigan versus $969 in Dhaka.

Vigan $1,533
Dhaka $969

Living in Vigan is roughly 77% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Vigan 47% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 ₱245

$2.28 ৳282

70.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.49 ₱1,038

$12.33 ৳1,523

33.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.77 ₱112

$3.95 ৳488

-55.19%

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)

$0.55 ₱34.93

$0.33 ৳40.88

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.81

$0.16 ৳19.86

106.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱62.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱97.8

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₱105

$0.85 ৳104

96.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ₱71.0

$0.60 ৳74.5

88.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱60.0

$0.69 ৳85.4

37.68%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱126

$1.23 ৳152

63.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.13 ₱323

$8.80 ৳1,087

-41.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 ₱216

$3.33 ৳412

3.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 ₱498

$6.63 ৳819

19.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₱145

$2.85 ৳352

-19.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.90 ৳111

71.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱148

$2.34 ৳289

0.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.8

$0.63 ৳78.4

63.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$0.24 ৳29.59

625.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 ₱108

$0.46 ৳57.3

273.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱38.63

$0.35 ৳42.79

74.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.07

$0.28 ৳34.24

89.29%

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)

$2.93 ₱184

$3.28 ৳405

-10.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 ₱550

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱129

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.21

$0.42 ৳52.3

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.80 ₱680

$22.43 ৳2,772

-51.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.5

$1.19 ৳147

-31.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.46

$0.39 ৳48.71

-41.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₱121

$3.28 ৳406

-41.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.7

$1.10 ৳136

15.45%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$29.4K ৳3.6M

-26.93%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$32.2K ৳4.0M

-38.98%

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

$139 ₱8,723

$38.28 ৳4,729

261.96%

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

$17.81 ₱1,121

$4.09 ৳506

335.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.55 ₱1,483

$9.02 ৳1,114

161.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.22 ₱2,091

$13.66 ৳1,688

143.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.06 ₱319

$10.21 ৳1,261

-50.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 ₱321

$4.11 ৳508

24.09%

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

$131 ₱8,268

$90.7 ৳11.2K

44.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱668.5K

$2,591 ৳320.2K

309.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.39 ₱1,787

$17.06 ৳2,108

66.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.84 ₱1,249

$21.38 ৳2,641

-7.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ₱4,555

$51.4 ৳6,355

40.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 ₱3,526

$36.78 ৳4,545

52.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ₱14.4K

$133 ৳16.4K

71.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ₱9,812

$65.1 ৳8,041

139.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 ₱33.0K

$377 ৳46.6K

39.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 ₱25.5K

$192 ৳23.8K

110.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 ₱155.2K

$1,621 ৳200.3K

52.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,003 ₱63.1K

$760 ৳93.9K

31.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 ৳30.4K

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 Vigan: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vigan

$180 25.1%

Dhaka

$51 12.7% 71.4% $129

Groceries & Markets

Vigan

$175 24.4%

Dhaka

$124 30.5% 29.5% $52

Accommodation & Living

Vigan

$156 21.7%

Dhaka

$65 16% 58.2% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Vigan

$79 11.1%

Dhaka

$57 14.1% 28.3% $22

Eating Out

Vigan

$70 9.8%

Dhaka

$59 14.6% 15.3% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Vigan

$43 6.1%

Dhaka

$22 5.4% 49.6% $22

Getting Around

Vigan

$14 1.9%

Dhaka

$27 6.7% 98.8% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $228 in Vigan and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Vigan vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $124 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Vigan

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

11:58 11:58 AM

09:58 9:58 AM

2 h behind Vigan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

53,879

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Vigan Dhaka 3,190 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Vigan
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

Vigan vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,077 in Vigan and $609 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $228 in Vigan versus $133 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $718 per month in Vigan versus $406 in Dhaka – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 108% less than in Vigan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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.

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.

Safety-wise, Vigan 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.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Vigan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.