The living cost is at its peak in the history of Bangladesh: living cost in bangladesh
By: Mahmuda Afreen / Read more about us.
Bangladesh is facing the highest ever annual inflation rate in recent times. The price of essential commodities is skyrocketing, making it harder to bear the daily expenses.
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is always an expensive city to live in. But the higher inflation rate is making other cities equally expensive.
The average monthly living cost of a city dweller in Bangladesh is $200 or ৳18,000.
The living cost of a family consisting of four members in Bangladesh is on average $450 or ৳40,000.
The living cost of Bangladesh is rising
Bangladeshis are spending the highest on maintaining life in their history. Undoubtedly, Bangladesh is beaming with good economic growth.
But such progression is what makes life expensive simultaneously.
While an average city dweller spent $75/month during the 90s, the cost has jumped around $200 or more in 2022.
The following sections provide the average spending of a Bangladeshi in different sectors-
Average renting cost
| Category | Rent/month (BDT) | Rent/month (USD) |
| 1 bedroom apartment | 10,000৳ | $105 |
| 3 bedroom apartment | 25,000৳ | $270 |
| Office space | 20,000৳ | $215 |
| Studio rent | 15,000৳ | $160 |
| Shop | 12,000৳ | $130 |
Renting a house or apartment is a popular way of living in Bangladesh for most city dwellers.
Almost half of the population of Dhaka city rents houses or apartments for living.
In a proper city, renting a single-bedroom apartment costs $10,000BDT/monthor$105/month on average.
Renting out a family-oriented three-bedroom apartment costs 25000BDT/month or $270/month on average.
There will always be some cheaper alternatives when it comes to renting a house or apartment in Bangladesh.
The cost to rent a single-bedroom apartment can be as cheap as $50 or 4,5000BDT/month.
Average Grocery cost
| Item name | Average price (BDT) | Average price (USD) |
| Rice/kg | 60 TK | $0.65 |
| Milk/Liter | 80 TK | $0.85 |
| Egg/Dozen | 120 TK | $1.29 |
| Onion/kg | 50 TK | $0.54 |
| Edible Oil/liter | 190 TK | $2.04 |
| Chicken/kg | 250 TK | $2.69 |
| Red meat/kg | 600 TK | $6.46 |
| Bread | 90 TK | $0.97 |
The price of daily groceries in Bangladesh has been fluctuating since the independence of the country.
Any ups and downs in international and national affairs tend to influence the price of groceries in Bangladesh.
While the regular price of one kg onion is around 35BDT, the price jumped above 200BDT due to the onion import issue with India in 2021.
In June 2022, Bangladeshi people are seeing again a great rise in the price of edible oil.
While the regular price of one liter of edible oil is around 110BDT, the current price of one-liter edible oil is over 200BDT.
Average transportation cost
| Transportation type | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Public bus | 10TK/km | $0.11 |
| Taxi | 30TK/km | $0.32 |
| Uber | 20TK/km | $0.22 |
| Gasoline | 90/liter | $0.97 |
| Monthly spending | 1000TK | $10.76 |
Public transportation is cheaper in Bangladesh. Unlike developed countries, private cars are not yet a common transportation vehicle in Bangladesh.
Only affluent citizens in Bangladesh tend to have private cars.
Buses, Taxis, Ubers, and CNGs are therefore mostly used by the common people.
The monthly transportation cost to live in Bangladesh is around 1000BDT or $11.
Healthcare cost
| Category | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Visiting a doctor | 1000TK/visit | $11 |
| Medicine | 2500TK/month | $26.91 |
| Gym membership | 500TK/month | $5.38 |
| Haircut | 100TK | $1.08 |
Healthcare does not yet have the highest priority in Bangladesh.
Most common people visit a doctor only when it is an emergency or necessary.
A single visit to a prescribed doctor costs 1000BDT or $11 in Bangladesh.
An average Bangladeshi citizen spends 2,500BDT or nearly $26.91/month for medicines.
Gym membership and health fitness are becoming more popular among the young generation in Bangladesh.
A gym membership usually costs 500BDT or nearly $5.38 on average.
Visiting a salon for a haircut cost 100BDT on average.
Clothing cost
| Apparel type | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Jeans | 1500 | $16.14 |
| Shirt | 800 | $8.61 |
| Shoe | 1800 | $19.37 |
| Undergarment | 450 | $4.84 |
| Summer dress | 1200 | $12.92 |
The Bangladeshi clothing market is one of the best in the world. One can easily get quality Jeans from as low as 300BDT to as high as 2500BDT depending on the market.
The average price of a pair of Jeans in the Bangladeshi market is 1500BDT.
A summer dress costs more than 1200BDT.
The price of a casual or formal shoe varies from 800BDT to 2500BDT.
House cost
| Category | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Per square meter | 350TK | $3.77 |
| A Complete house | 5000000-20000000TK | $50,000-$215,000 |
Depending on the type of house one wants to build, the cost to build a house ranges from 50lakh BDT to 2crore BDT.
In general, preparing per square meter of land costs around 350TK in Bangladesh which is equivalent to $3.5.
Due to nominal labor-cost, the cost to build a house is comparatively cheaper in Bangladesh.
Entertainment cost
| Category | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Movie ticket | 450/each | $4.84 |
| Sports ticket | 250/each | $2.69 |
| Eating in a restaurant | 850/person | $9.15 |
| Visiting attractive places | 3000/person | $32.29 |
With a population of over 164 million, entertainment is becoming an integral part of Bangladesh day by day.
Cricket, being the most popular sport in Bangladesh, is attracting the young generation more than ever before.
At the same time, the movie industry is constantly upgrading to keep the nation entertained.
The price of a movie ticket in Bangladesh is 450tk or nearly $5 on average.
Any sports ticket costs 250tk or nearly $2.5 on average in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is bestowed with too many natural spots that attract visitors every year to the country.
On average, going out on a day tour in Bangladesh costs 3000tk or $32.50.
Utility cost
| Category | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Electricity bill | 1200/month | $12.92 |
| Gas bill | 1000/month | $10.76 |
| Internet bill | 800/month | $8.61 |
| Mobile | 500/month | $5.38 |
Bangladesh is flourishing with technological advancement.
While only a quarter of the whole population had an internet connection in 2010, almost 85% of the population uses the internet somehow nowadays for various reasons.
On average, the monthly internet bill is 800tk/person in Bangladesh.
A Bangladeshi spent around 500tk/month on the mobile bill.
Bangladesh is bestowed with 28 natural gas fields. As a result, the price of gas is comparatively cheaper in Bangladesh.
On average, the monthly gas bill in Bangladesh is 1000 Bangladeshi Taka, or nearly $10.76.
A compact family living in a city environment spends around 1200 Bangladeshi taka on the electricity bill.
Average income or salary
| Category | Salary in BDT | Salary in USD |
| Minimum | 7,000tk | $75.35 |
| Average salary | 30,000tk | $322.88 |
| Optimal range | 50,000tk | $538.13 |
| High-end | 100,000tk | $1,075 |
The labor cost in Bangladesh tends to be the worst. Not all professions provide a lucrative salary range in Bangladesh.
Shop assistants, Nursery school teachers, sellers, and production assistants are some of the worst paying jobs in Bangladesh.
The minimum salary limit in Bangladesh is around 7000tk or $75.
The IT sector in Bangladesh is booming recently. Therefore, IT specialists in any field are getting more in wages.
Civil service, Software engineers, bankers, Marketing directors, Judges, and IT specialists are getting the highest salary range in Bangladesh.
The highest pay range in Bangladesh is over 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka.
The optimal salary range in Bangladesh is from 30,000 to 50,000 Bangladeshi Taka.
Cost on education
| Education level | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Child schooling | 3,500/month | $37.67 |
| Primary | 4,500/month | $48.43 |
| Secondary | 6,000/month | $64.58 |
| Higher-secondary | 7,000/month | $75.34 |
| Under graduation (4 years) | 10,000/month | $107.63 |
| Post-graduation (2 years) | 8,500/month | $91.48 |
The literacy rate in Bangladesh is increasing only because of the importance parents are giving to Education.
After fulfilling the basic needs, the education sector is where parents are spending more arbitrarily.
Though the curriculum mostly focuses on theoretical knowledge, practical or research-based learning is getting popularity nowadays in Bangladesh.
From pre-school to post-graduation, education expenses are relatively higher in Bangladesh.
The monthly average educational expense in Bangladesh is over 7000tk or $75.
Also Bangladesh madrasah education cost is one of the lowest cost all over the world. Only 1550tk to 2500tk can take a madrasah for the whole cost for students per month.
Cost of living for local students
| Living area | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Metropolitan City | 10,000BDT | $107 |
| Suburban | 7,000 BDT | $75 |
| Average | 8,500 BDT | $92 |
Local students usually live by sharing rooms. At the same time, they are well aware of their surroundings. As a result, most local students know the ways of minimizing their living costs.
In a metropolitan city, the living cost of a local student is around 10,000 Bangladeshi Taka.
The living cost for a local student varies from 7000BDT to 15,000 BDT.
Cost of living for international students
| Category | Living Cost in BDT | Living Cost in USD |
| Cheapest | 10,000tk | $105 |
| Highest | 25,000tk | $269 |
| Average | 15,000tk | $160 |
Living in Bangladesh as an international student requires better research.
While the cheapest living cost to stay in Bangladesh as an international student is around 10,000 Bangladeshi Taka or around $105, the cost can reach over 25,000BDT.
Living in a hostel environment usually costs less than living in an apartment.
Cost of living for a Bachelor
| Category | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Cheapest | 7,500 | $80 |
| Maximum | 15,000 | $160 |
| Average | 10,000 | $75 |
Most undergraduate and postgraduate students in Bangladesh are Bachelor. They live by sharing an apartment.
The living cost of Bachelor and local students is therefore almost the same.
On average, the living cost of a bachelor falls between 7,500BDT and 15,000BDT.
With the improvement of the facilities, this cost fluctuates a little.
Family
| Category | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| 4 members | 40,000 | $428 |
| 6 members | 60,000 | $643 |
| Village environment | 25,000 | $268 |
The expense of family tends to be the highest in Bangladesh.
A family consisting of four members spends more than 40,000 BDT in a month in a city environment.
The living cost of a family consisting of six members falls between 50,000 BDT to 60,000 BDT in a month.
However, the overall spending of a family is far cheaper in a village environment.
In a village environment, the cost of living for a family consisting of four members falls between 20,000BDT to 25,000 BDT.
Expensive living in Bangladesh
| Category | Cost in BDT | Cost in USD |
| Basic | 50,000 BDT | $540 |
| Average | 80,000 BDT | $865 |
| Optimal range | 150,000 BDT | $1650 |
| Expensive | Above 200,000 BDT | $2150+ |
Affluent citizens living in Bangladesh spend more than 80,000BDT/month on living.
Expensive living cost varies from 80,000BDT to over 200,000BDT.
Those who have fixed properties or multiple income sources usually have the freedom to spend more on the expenses.
The basic cost of living for any citizen living in Bangladesh is maintainable within 50,000BDT.
Any spending above 50,000BDT brings luxury to life.
A family consisting of four members spends over 250,000BDT/month on luxury living.
Living Cost across the Divisions in Bangladesh
Due to the job opportunities and facilities a division provides, the living cost varies from division to division in Bangladesh.
| Division name | Living cost in BDT/month | Living cost in USD/month |
| Dhaka | 30,000tk | $323 |
| Chittagong | 25,000tk | $270 |
| Barisal | 18,000tk | $195 |
| Khulna | 20,000tk | $215 |
| Mymensingh | 22,000tk | $236 |
| Rajshahi | 20,000tk | $215 |
| Rangpur | 16,000tk | $172 |
| Sylhet | 20,000tk | $215 |
Living cost in the Dhaka division
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is the most expensive city to dwell in the country.
The living cost in Dhaka varies according to the region you stay in. For example, living in Gulshan or Dhanmondi comparatively costs more than in other cities.
Renting a single-bedroom apartment in these areas costs more than 15,000 Bangladeshi Taka. A three-bedroom apartment costs over 25,000 Taka in these areas.
The average living cost in Dhaka is over 30,000taka/month.
Cheaper alternatives are also available.
Locals minimize the cost by sharing apartments.
As most fruits and vegetables need to import from other parts of the country, the groceries tend to be expensive in Dhaka cities.
Living cost in Chittagong
Chittagong is almost equally expensive as Dhaka. The average living cost in Chittagong is over 25,000 BDT for a family consisting of four members.
As a port city, Chittagong offers both expensive and cheap services in various categories.
Chittagong is around 8% cheaper than Dhaka.
Living cost in Barisal
Barisal is one of the oldest river ports in Bangladesh. Therefore, Job opportunities are not that high in Barisal.
At the same time, the transportation facilities of Barisal still need a better upgrade.
Barisal is almost 25% cheaper than Dhaka.
The living cost for a single-family in Barisal is 18,000BDT on average.
Living cost in Khulna
Khulna contributes the third-largest share of the economy of Bangladesh. At the same time, Khulna has a great organized city environment.
Khulna is cheaper probably because the division has less population than Dhaka.
With a population of more than 660,000, Khulna is 20% cheaper than Dhaka.
The average living cost for a single-family in Khulna is over 20,000 BDT.
Living cost in Mymensingh
Mymensingh is popular for having some great infrastructures.
Bangladesh Agricultural University situated in Mymensingh is the largest public university in Bangladesh.
At the same time, Mymensingh is greatly contributing to the economic growth of Bangladesh.
Mymensingh is 15% cheaper than Dhaka.
The average living cost for a single-family in Barisal is over 22,000 BDT.
Living cost in Rajshahi
Rajshahi is equally expensive as Mymensingh. Rajshahi has some of the best silk industries in Bangladesh.
At the same time, Rajshahi exports fruits like mango and Lychee across the whole country.
The economic situation of Rajshahi is booming more than ever before.
The cost of living for a single-family in Rajshahi is over 20,000 BDT.
Rajshahi is 20% cheaper than Dhaka.
Living cost in Rangpur
Rangpur is probably the cheapest area to live in Bangladesh.
The average living cost for a single-family in Rangpur is over 16,000 BDT.
The communication and the transportation facilities of Rangpur are not yet that developed.
At the same time, the literacy rate of Rangpur is still far behind compared to other divisions.
The lack of opportunities makes Rangpur the cheapest area to live in Bangladesh.
Living cost in Sylhet
Sylhet is one of the popular tourist spots in Bangladesh. Sylhet has the largest tea garden in Bangladesh.
At the same time, the scenic beauty of Sylhet is enough to please anyone.
Sylhet is generating good economical revenue for Bangladesh in multiple ways.
Because of economical demand, Sylhet is a bit expensive to live in.
The living cost of Sylhet is over 20,000 BDT for a single family consisting of four members.
Living cost in village areas
Bangladeshi villages are the cheapest to live in. Due to a lack of facilities and a higher production rate, villages are 50% cheaper than urban areas.
A family consisting of four members spends around 10,000BDT/month in a village environment.
Most villagers do low-earning jobs. Though the literacy rate of Bangladesh is growing at a rapid rate, it is the lowest in village areas.
Cost of living: USA vs Bangladesh
Bangladesh is almost 60% cheaper than the USA. While an average American citizen spends over $40,000 annually, a Bangladeshi citizen hardly spends over $10,000.
Some of the cities of Bangladesh are surely expensive. Yet, the cost of living in those areas is far cheaper than in most cities in the USA.
While Bangladesh is a producing country, America imports most of her resources.
As a result, the living cost tends to be higher.
At the same time, the labor cost in America is far higher than in Bangladesh.
What American labor would do for $5, Bangladeshi labor will be willing to do the same job for $1.
Cost of Living: India vs. Bangladesh
The cost of living in India and Bangladesh is almost equivalent. India might be 5% to 6% more expensive than Bangladesh in some areas.
An average Indian family spends over 25,000RS/month for living which is equivalent to almost 30,000 Bangladeshi Taka.
Mumbai is the most expensive city to live in India. An average Indian living in Mumbai spends 30,000RS/month which is equivalent to 36,000 Bangladeshi Taka.
Dhaka is almost similarly expensive as Mumbai.
Cost analysis
Bangladesh is still a cheaper country to live in. An average adult Bangladeshi spends nearly 15,000BDT/month which is equivalent to 160USD.
A family living in an urban area spends over 40,000BDT/month which is 60% lower than an American family.
The good prospect about Bangladesh is that the GDP is rising at a good pace.
It is believable that within the next forty years, Bangladesh will be a developed state.
