Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, a megacity of roughly 10 million people in the city and more than 20 million in the metro area on the Buriganga River. It combines Mughal and colonial monuments, the crowded lanes of Old Dhaka, Louis Kahn's parliament building and some of South Asia's best biryani and street food.
Local currency: Bangladeshi Taka (BDT).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Dhaka.
- Mid-range
- 9,000 BDT/day (approx 73 USD)
- Luxury
- 24,000+ BDT/day (approx 196+ USD)
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- 800-1,800 BDT / approx 7-15 USD
- Budget
- 2,500-5,000 BDT / approx 20-41 USD
- Midrange
- 6,000-14,000 BDT / approx 49-114 USD
- Luxury
- 18,000-40,000 BDT / approx 147-326 USD
Food
- Street
- 40-200 BDT / approx 0-2 USD
- Local
- 200-500 BDT / approx 2-4 USD
- Midrange
- 700-1,800 BDT / approx 6-15 USD
- Fine
- 3,000-8,000 BDT / approx 24-65 USD
Transport
- Bus
- 10-50 BDT / approx 0-0 USD
- Taxi
- 300-900 BDT / approx 2-7 USD
- Airport
- 500-1,500 BDT / approx 4-12 USD
- Daytrip
- 1,500-4,500 BDT / approx 12-37 USD
Activities
- Museum
- 50-500 BDT / approx 0-4 USD
- Sites
- 50-500 BDT / approx 0-4 USD
- Tour
- 2,500-8,000 BDT / approx 20-65 USD
- Excursion
- 1,500-6,000 BDT / approx 12-49 USD
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Dhaka costs end-to-end.
Weekend escape
A short city break covering essentials and a few highlights.
One-week tour
Comfortable pace including major attractions and day trips.
Two-week explorer
In-depth exploration covering multiple regions.
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Travel in shoulder season — fewer crowds and significantly lower accommodation rates.
Use public transport instead of taxis where possible. Day passes often pay for themselves after 3 trips.
Eat where locals eat — markets and neighbourhood eateries offer better food at a fraction of tourist-strip prices.
Book accommodation with kitchen access for longer stays so you can self-cater some meals.