AI generatedn° 946, asia
Dhaka, bangladesh.
For specific-role professionals (textile / NGO / academic) needing Bangladesh base; aware of structural pollution + climate-vulnerability context.
- cost / mo
- $518
- internet
- 50 Mbps
- visa-free · eu
- 0 days
the scores
Four scores, seven components each.
Each ring is a weighted blend, click any of them to see the seven components that produce it.
your monthly budget
default $700–$4,500 range · drag to personalize
score priority
balanced weighting, cost 25%, infra 40%, lifestyle 35%
weighted blends of cost, internet, safety, climate, english, visa & social density. Default cost band: $700–$4,500/mo. 100% data coverage. Each ring is clickable, see exactly why a city scored what it did.
monthly cost · solo nomad
Tier 3 · estimate (no verified rent yet)Rent · central 1 BR | – | $300 |
Food · groceries + modest dining | bbs.gov.bd | $75 |
Mobile · 20 GB plan | grameenphone.com | $5 |
Utilities · electricity + heat + water | berc.org.bd | $25 |
Transit · monthly pass regional avg fallback | – | $18 |
Coworking · 4 days/month baseline 12/day × 4 days/mo regional estimate | – | $48 |
Buffer · 10% for variance + occasional weekend trips | – | $47 |
Total solo burn | sum of above | $518 |
Every line above sourced to a public primary reference. Tier 1 = all components verified for this city/country; Tier 2 = rent verified + country-baseline components; Tier 3 = approximate. Solo nomad baseline assumes one person, central 1-bedroom, modest groceries, 20 GB mobile, 4 paid coworking days/month. Where the rent basis above notes a private-market premium, expat condo budgets run higher than this baseline.
in one sentence · curated
Hand-written by the ExpatWhy editorial team.
Dhaka is Bangladesh's working capital, South Asia's densest megacity, the country's textile-and-garment industrial centre, and the structural Ganges-delta climate vulnerability.
editorial
The case & the friction.
The case is the scale. Dhaka (about 23M metro) is one of the world's most densely-populated megacities. Bangladesh has one of the fastest-growing economies in South Asia 2010-2025, driven by ready-made-garment exports (the country is the world's #2 RMG exporter after China). A 1-bed in central Dhaka, Gulshan, or Banani runs BDT 25,000-60,000/month ($210-510).
Visa: Bangladesh offers Visa on Arrival for limited passports + e-Visa for most others (30 days, extendable). Work and long-stay visas require employer or institutional sponsorship.
The friction is comprehensive. Traffic in Dhaka is famous (the city has one of the world's longest peak-hour commute times). Air quality is among the world's worst (annual PM2.5 regularly 80-100 µg/m³, winter inversions push much higher). Monsoon flooding is structural (Bangladesh is a delta country, sea-level + monsoon + cyclone are the major long-term considerations). Tropical climate.
verdict
For specific-role professionals (textile / NGO / academic) needing Bangladesh base; aware of structural pollution + climate-vulnerability context.
work & connectivity
Getting work done.
work-friendly density · OSM
Workable for laptop work.
coworking spaces
0
wifi cafés
23
In practice: Workable but thin, 0 coworking spaces and 23 wifi cafés. A hotel-with-desk or one good coworking membership covers most days.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · Overpass API · ODbL 1.0 · 2026-07-09
tax & stay reality · Bangladesh
Stay past 182 days, become tax resident.
residency trigger
182
days in 12 mo
top marginal rate
30%
on highest bracket
scope
Worldwide
Worldwide income taxed
expat / nomad regime
No dedicated nomad regime; standard worldwide-income taxation if resident.
tax treaty with
Bangladesh taxes residents on worldwide income at progressive rates up to 30%. Surcharge on net wealth pushes effective rates higher for HNWIs. Treaty network is broad among major economies.
Sources: country tax authority + Wikipedia "Taxation in Bangladesh" (CC-BY-SA) · last reviewed 2026-05-22.
Verifywhen to visit
Twelve months of weather.
best month
Dec
Visit in December, 21°C, only 1mm of rain.
Off-season August–September, monsoon brings 477mm/month, and hotel rates typically drop 20–40% from peak.
temperaturerainfallcurrent monthbest month
air quality · 12 months verified
When the air turns.
Hourly PM2.5 averaged by calendar month from Copernicus CAMS satellite data, window 2025-07-08 → 2026-07-07. WHO annual guideline is 5 µg/m³.
annual mean
49.1µg/m³
Unhealthy
worst month
Jan · 90 µg/m³
Very unhealthy
cleanest month
Aug · 21 µg/m³
Moderate
annual swing
69 µg/m³
Highly seasonal
Cleanest air in August (21 µg/m³); worst in January (90 µg/m³).
Annual mean 49.1 µg/m³ is unhealthy for everyone, mask + air purifier are non-negotiable, and January is genuinely dangerous outdoors. The 69 µg/m³ swing between worst and best month is large, month-of-travel matters more here than in stable cities.
Source: Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) via Open-Meteo Air Quality API · CC-BY 4.0. Modelled, not measured at a station: near coasts CAMS counts sea salt as PM2.5 and reads high against ground networks. Read the curve, not the absolute.
natural risk
The numbers other sites don't show.
seismic risk · 50 yr · 200 km
Very low seismic exposure.
M5+ events
10
M6+ events
0
largest
M5.9
Largest recorded: M5.9 in 1988.
In practice: Moderate seismic background (10 M5+ in 50 years), modern construction handles this well, but verify building era for older rentals.
Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (public domain) · counted within 200 km, last 50 years.
tropical storms · 46 yr · 200 km
Moderate cyclone exposure.
named storms
42
cat 1+ hurricanes
5
In practice: 5 cat 1+ hurricanes in 46 years, late-summer travel carries real disruption risk; flexible booking pays for itself.
Source: NOAA IBTrACS v04r01 (public domain) · unique storm IDs within 200 km since 1980.
–Dhaka is Bangladesh's working capital, South Asia's densest megacity, the country's textile-and-garment industrial centre, and the structural Ganges-delta climate vulnerability.
quality of life
Female-safety scores fall in the elevated-risk band, read recent reports for specific neighborhoods.
3.5
/10
Asher & Lyric Women's Danger Index, country-level, plan accordingly
Velasco LGBT+ Policy Index
Asher & Lyric Index 2024
ERA5 reanalysis · 12-mo derived
derived from monthly rainfall
vs Berlin 09–17 · Asia/Dhaka
–For specific-role professionals (textile / NGO / academic) needing Bangladesh base; aware of structural pollution + climate-vulnerability context.
ExpatWhy editorial
what to know
Pros & cons.
pros
- Budget-friendly for solo nomads
- Strong international school options
cons
- Slow average internet speeds
- Safety concerns, research neighborhoods
- High air pollution (annual PM2.5)
- Very humid most of the year
visa & stay
How long can you stay?
- digital nomad visa
- No, not yet
- visa-free for EU passport
- 0 days
- visa-free for US passport
- 30 days
visa figures as of August 2026 · verify with official immigration sources before traveling
before you go
What to plan around.
Drawn only from the verified figures on this page, the things worth knowing before you book.
US passport: short visa-free window, 30 days
US passports get 30 visa-free days. For a longer stay, plan an extension or a border run before day 30.
Pronounced wet season
Rain peaks around May, Aug & Oct, up to 477 mm in the wettest month. Time a visit for the drier half of the year.
Seasonal air-quality dip
PM2.5 climbs to about 90 µg/m³ around Jan, well above the WHO guideline. Sensitive lungs should plan around it.
Tropical storm exposure
5 hurricanes and 42 tropical storms passed within 200 km over 46 years. Avoid peak storm season and check that travel insurance covers weather disruption.
Cost is a modelled estimate
Living costs here are a purchasing-power estimate, not locally verified prices. Treat the total as a starting point and add a buffer.
compare side-by-side
Dhaka versus three popular alternatives.
you might also like
Where to go next.
Closer on the map, closer on the wallet, or closer on the way it feels.
closest on the map
Other cities in South Asia.
Same sub-region, short flights, similar climate, comparable visa landscape.
asia
5.7Kolkata, india.
A budget asia option with limited visa-free access.
asia
5.6Cox's Bazar, bangladesh.
A budget asia option with limited visa-free access.
asia
5.5Gangtok, india.
A budget asia option with limited visa-free access.
closest on the wallet
Other budget cities, different continent.
Same band as Dhaka, budget (under $1,500/mo), outside asia.
latin america
7.1Nassau, bahamas.
A budget latin america option with workable visa-free EU access.
latin america
7.0San Juan, puerto rico.
A budget latin america option with workable visa-free EU access.
latin america
6.9Basse-Terre, guadeloupe.
A budget latin america option with workable visa-free EU access.
closest on the way it feels
Same wellbeing, different climate.
Cities that score like Dhaka on quality-of-life but trade humid subtropical for something else.
middle east
6.3Riyadh, saudi arabia.
A mid-tier middle east option with limited visa-free access.
africa
5.2Addis Ababa, ethiopia.
A budget africa option with limited visa-free access.
middle east
6.5Jeddah, saudi arabia.
A mid-tier middle east option with limited visa-free access.
frequently asked
Dhaka, honest answers.
- How much does it cost to live in Dhaka per month?
- A solo nomad in Dhaka runs roughly $518/month, broken down as rent $300 (estimate), food $75, mobile $5, utilities $25, transit $18, plus coworking and a 10% buffer. That puts it in the budget tier globally.
- What is the tax situation for nomads in Bangladesh?
- Tax residency triggers at 182 days in any 12-month period. Residents are taxed on worldwide income. Top marginal personal income tax is 30%. No dedicated nomad regime; standard worldwide-income taxation if resident. Verify current details at the country's tax authority, link on the city's Tax & Stay card.
- How is the air quality in Dhaka?
- Annual PM2.5 averages 49 µg/m³ (Copernicus CAMS satellite data), which consistently unhealthy, bring N95s and watch the 12-month curve. The 12-month curve on this page shows the seasonal swing, many cities have a sharp burning season or winter inversion that doesn't show in the annual number.
- Is Dhaka safe for solo female travelers?
- Bangladesh scores 3.5/10 on the Asher & Lyric Women's Danger Index, elevated risk, review current state-department advisories before solo travel. Country-level scores; major cities often differ from country averages, especially by neighborhood.
- When is the best time to visit Dhaka?
- Dec typically scores best on our combined comfort index, average temperature 21°C, low rainfall, high sunshine. Each city's Climate Chart on this page shows the full 12-month picture.
- Are there earthquakes in Dhaka?
- Yes, the USGS catalog records 10 M5+ earthquakes and 0 M6+ within 200 km over the last 50 years. The largest was M5.9 in 1988. Modern buildings in major cities are engineered for this; factor it into long-stay decisions.
- Do people speak English in Dhaka?
- Bangladesh scores 69/100 on the EF English Proficiency Index, workable in business contexts and most tourist-facing services; learn key phrases for everyday.
Every answer is built from this city's verified pipeline data, Copernicus CAMS, USGS, NOAA IBTrACS, country tax authorities, EF EPI, Asher & Lyric, OpenStreetMap. No marketing copy.
where it is
Dhaka on the map.
Dhaka, Bangladesh, Asia.
23.8103, 90.4125
Map tiles & data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
primary sources · click to verify
Every number on this page comes from somewhere.
- Vision of Humanity GPI· CC-BY 4.0Vision of Humanity, Global Peace Index 2024
- EF EPI· free non-commercialEF English Proficiency Index 2024
- Author-curated· facts listStatic dataset: digital nomad visas (curated 2025-05)
- World Bank· CC-BY 4.0World Bank Open Data, NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
- Open-Meteo (ERA5)· CC-BY 4.0open-meteo.com (current + 2024 archive)
- Author-curated· facts listCurated cost calibration (Bangkok-anchored, 2025-05)
- Velasco LGBT+ Policy Index (OWID)· CC-BYLGBTQ: Spartacus Gay Travel Index 2024 + ILGA Rainbow Europe 2024
- Asher & Lyric Danger Index· editorial use w/ attrib.Female safety: Asher & Lyric Women's Danger Index 2024
- OpenStreetMap· ODbL 1.0OpenStreetMap contributors (Overpass API, ODbL)
- Copernicus CAMS· CC-BY 4.0Air quality: Copernicus CAMS via Open-Meteo Air Quality API (CC-BY 4.0)
- USGS Earthquake Catalog· public domainSeismic: USGS Earthquake Catalog (public domain)
- NOAA IBTrACS· public domainTropical storms: NOAA IBTrACS v04r01 (public domain)
- Speedtest Global Index· display w/ attrib.Speedtest Global Index Q1 2026 (Ookla), fixed-broadband median upload
We aggregate from public primary sources only. Composite scores (nomad / solo / family / wellbeing) are derived using our own formula, see methodology. Full license map at /LICENSES.md.
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