Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yala and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $428 a month against $895 in Yala, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yala
🇹🇭 Thailand
$895
/mo nomad
Dhaka
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$428
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $895 in Yala versus $428 in Dhaka.

  • Yala $895
  • Dhaka $428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Yala versus $724 in Dhaka.

  • Yala $1,487
  • Dhaka $724

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,079 in Yala versus $1,019 in Dhaka.

  • Yala $2,079
  • Dhaka $1,019

Living in Yala is roughly 109% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yala 34% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.51 ฿50.3
$2.50 ৳309
-39.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.70 ฿825
$13.26 ৳1,638
86.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.73 ฿225
$4.99 ৳616
34.87%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.87 ৳602
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.14 ৳511
-
Cappuccino
$1.92 ฿64.0
$2.35 ৳291
-18.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿18.76
$0.33 ৳41.07
69.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 ฿5.42
$0.16 ৳19.62
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.90 ฿63.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 ฿110
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 ฿51.3
$0.85 ৳105
81.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 ฿40.90
$0.63 ৳77.9
93.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.51
$0.67 ৳83.1
98.51%
Eggs
$1.79 ฿59.7
$1.19 ৳147
50.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.29 ฿611
$8.83 ৳1,092
107.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.96 ฿98.8
$3.30 ৳408
-10.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 ฿309
$6.41 ৳792
44.46%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 ฿101
$2.75 ৳340
9.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.14 ฿37.97
$0.94 ৳116
21.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 ฿69.7
$2.37 ৳293
-11.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$0.64 ৳79.1
204.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 ฿52.3
$0.26 ৳32.25
503.85%
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.44
$0.49 ৳60.6
97.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 ฿39.17
$0.30 ৳37.63
290.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.62
$0.30 ৳37.49
76.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$12.24 ৳1,512
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$5.43 ৳671
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.53 ৳807
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.87 ฿163
$3.17 ৳392
53.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.33 ฿546
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 ฿54.8
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 ฿86.2
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 ฿20.44
$0.38 ৳47.44
60.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$23.06 ৳2,849
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.12 ฿37.42
$1.17 ৳145
-4.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 ฿43.70
$0.38 ৳46.99
244.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.43 ฿215
$3.28 ৳405
96.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ฿47.43
$1.11 ৳137
27.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.5K ฿887.0K
$29.1K ৳3.6M
-8.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿887.1K
$32.9K ৳4.1M
-19.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 ฿2,853
$46.77 ৳5,779
82.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.99 ฿401
$4.51 ৳557
165.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.46 ฿650
$11.22 ৳1,387
73.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.07 ฿1,473
$16.43 ৳2,031
168.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.69 ฿458
$14.87 ৳1,838
-7.94%
Cinema Ticket
$6.63 ฿222
$4.20 ৳519
57.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$589 ฿19.7K
$91.6 ৳11.3K
543.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿376.2K
$2,596 ৳320.8K
333.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.88 ฿1,533
$16.63 ৳2,055
175.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.27 ฿1,079
$19.80 ৳2,447
62.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.6 ฿2,592
$46.87 ৳5,791
65.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.9 ฿2,704
$37.00 ৳4,572
118.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$475 ฿15.9K
$148 ৳18.2K
221.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$289 ฿9,662
$70.8 ৳8,743
308.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 ฿39.1K
$432 ৳53.4K
170.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$759 ฿25.4K
$213 ৳26.3K
256.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,762 ฿58.9K
$1,605 ৳198.4K
9.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,405 ฿46.9K
$751 ৳92.8K
87.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yala
Dhaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$245 ৳30.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
10.67
-47.80%

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

Last update for Yala: October 18, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Yala
$289
Dhaka
$71 75.5% $218
Groceries & Markets
Yala
$241
Dhaka
$123 48.9% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yala
$117
Dhaka
$63 46.5% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Yala
$106
Dhaka
$54 49.2% $52
Eating Out
Yala
$74
Dhaka
$65 12.3% $9.1
Sport & Entertainment
Yala
$57
Dhaka
$25 56.7% $33
Getting Around
Yala
$10 *
Dhaka
$28 174% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Yala and $148 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Yala vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Yala
🇧🇩 Dhaka
🕒 Local time
04:20 4:20 AM
03:20 3:20 AM
1 h behind Yala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
60,617
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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Yala Dhaka 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Yala
  • 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
Yala vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhaka cheaper than Yala?
Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,343 in Yala and $642 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.
What is the rent difference between Yala and Dhaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Yala versus $148 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $589 in Yala versus $91.6 in Dhaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Yala or in Dhaka?
Dining out is cheaper in Dhaka – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $25.00 in Yala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 enough for either Yala 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 Yala 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, Yala or Dhaka?
Safety-wise, Yala 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 109% less than in Yala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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