Boston vs Dhaka Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Boston vs Dhaka: everyday costs favor Dhaka (~37% CPI gap), housing index favors Dhaka, wage stretch favors Dhaka. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Dhaka
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Salary (102% gap, Dhaka ahead); Utilities (58% gap, Boston ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $89 lower in Dhaka than in Boston (~18% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $89 (favoring Dhaka).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Dhaka | CPI 16.7 vs 26.5 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Dhaka | Rent index 10.6 vs 12.6 (lower is better) |
| Food | Dhaka | Groceries index 27 vs 31.9 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Boston | One-way ticket 19.68 vs 27.43 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Boston | Utilities (85m²) 1474.2 vs 2332 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Dhaka | Internet 1332.1 vs 1580.67 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Dhaka | Restaurant index 16 vs 23.5 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Dhaka | Avg net salary 190960 vs 94664.7 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Dhaka | PP index 28 vs 26.1 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Salary: Dhaka leads with a 102% gap.
Avg net salary 190960 vs 94664.7 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Dhaka — Lower housing / rent index (16% gap).
- Families: Dhaka — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Dhaka; purchasing power favors Dhaka.
- Remote Workers: Dhaka — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Dhaka (~37% gap).
- Budget Living: Dhaka — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Dhaka is the overall cost winner on CPI (~37% lower everyday-cost index than Boston).
- Housing: Dhaka leads on rent index (16% gap).
- Food / groceries: Dhaka is lower (15% gap).
- Purchasing power: Dhaka scores higher (7% gap).
- Largest category gap: Salary (102%), favoring Dhaka.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$89 cheaper in Dhaka.
Analysis
Boston versus Dhaka is not a single number. With a 37% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Dhaka, while housing follows Dhaka's rent index. Purchasing power (26.1 vs 28) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-26
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.