Dhaka vs. Chengdu: Detailed 2026 Cost of Living & Quality Comparison

Cost of Living Overview:

Chengdu presents a significantly more expensive cost of living compared to Dhaka, particularly concerning food, transportation, and basic utilities. While Dhaka's cost of living index is considerably lower, reflecting much cheaper groceries, local transport, and essentials, Chengdu's index, although still below many global averages, is substantially higher than Dhaka's. Furthermore, the property market in Chengdu, while showing lower price-to-income ratios than some Western cities, is markedly more expensive than Dhaka's property market. Dhaka offers significantly lower costs across most major living expense categories.

Property Market Comparison:

The real estate landscape differs dramatically between the two cities. Chengdu's property prices, especially in the city center, are significantly higher than Dhaka's, though still considerably lower than comparable cities in North America or Europe. Dhaka's property prices are exceptionally low, reflecting the city's economic context and lower overall cost of living. The price-to-income ratio in Chengdu is slightly lower than in Dhaka, suggesting a potentially more balanced market, but both cities present vastly different affordability levels for housing.

Income and Purchasing Power:

Chengdu boasts a significantly higher average net salary compared to Dhaka. This translates into a much higher purchasing power parity index in Chengdu (118.65) than in Dhaka (59.29). While the higher income in Chengdu offsets much of the city's higher cost of living, the gap between expenses and earnings remains substantial compared to global standards. In Dhaka, the lower income level means that while the cost of living is cheaper, the purchasing power is considerably lower than in Chengdu.

Quality of Life Metrics:

Chengdu scores substantially higher across key quality-of-life indicators. Its safety index (79.91) is significantly better than Dhaka's (29.99). Healthcare quality in Chengdu (67.72) is considerably superior to Dhaka's (59.29). The climate comfort index for Chengdu (91.18) is much higher than Dhaka's (74.99), suggesting a more pleasant urban environment. Conversely, Dhaka suffers from much higher pollution levels (index 70.99 vs. 29.99) and significantly longer commute times (index 39.17 vs. 105.03), negatively impacting quality of life.

Detailed Comparison Summary:

Chengdu offers a higher standard of living with better safety, healthcare, and climate comfort, supported by a significantly higher income. However, this comes with a substantially higher cost of living and property prices compared to Dhaka. Dhaka presents a much lower cost of living and property market, but at the expense of significant challenges in safety, healthcare quality, environmental conditions, and commute times. The choice between the two cities depends heavily on prioritizing financial savings and basic necessities versus a higher quality of life, safety, and healthcare access.

Climate Index

71.3 / 91.2

Cost of Living Index

25.7 / 28.1

Dhaka   Chengdu

Health Care Index

40 / 67.7

Pollution Index

94 / 71

Dhaka   Chengdu

Property Price to Income Ratio

14.6 / 13.5

Purchasing Power Index

41.5 / 118.7

Dhaka   Chengdu

Quality of Life Index

65.2 / 161.7

Safety Index

37.6 / 79.9

Dhaka   Chengdu

Traffic Commute Time Index

60.2 / 39.2

Dhaka   Chengdu