GlobeQuest

Delhi vs Dhaka

Thinking about Delhi or Dhaka? Here’s the honest, side-by-side comparison for2026 — cost of living, language, climate, careers and getting set up.

🇮🇳

Delhi

India · South Asia

VS
🇧🇩

Dhaka

Bangladesh · South Asia

The short answer

Delhi and Dhaka land in a broadly similar monthly budget bracket. Expect a language curve either way — Hindi in Delhi, Bengali in Dhaka. Both have full set-up guides below, so the real choice comes down to climate, career field, and the lifestyle you're after.

Cost of living, side by side

What it costs🇮🇳 Delhi🇧🇩 Dhaka
Rent — 1-bed, central
INR 35,000–70,000 / month
One-bed apartment, South Delhi colonies
BDT 60,000–120,000 / month plus utilities
Furnished two-bed, Gulshan, Banani or Baridhara
Mid-range meal (per person)
——
Coffee
——
Getting around
basis varies
INR 1,500–2,500 / month
Delhi Metro monthly travel
BDT 20–100 depending on distance
MRT Line 6 metro, single journey
Other monthly costs (excl. rent)
——
Est. total / month
rent + everyday costs
—
—

Prices are curated local figures shown in their own currency. USD totals and “% cheaper” claims use approximate exchange rates to put both cities on one scale — rough guidance for budgeting, not exact quotes. Ranges are averaged; annual rents are shown per month.

Full Delhi cost breakdown →Full Dhaka cost breakdown →

Language, region & climate

🇮🇳

Delhi

Hindi
Day-to-day life rewards some Hindi.
South Asia
GMT+5:30 · INR
Climate
Humid subtropical with extremes — 45°C+ in May and June, cold foggy Januaries, and severe winter air pollution.
🇧🇩

Dhaka

Bengali
Day-to-day life rewards some Bengali.
South Asia
GMT+6 · BDT
Climate
Tropical monsoon — humid heat most of the year, a heavy June–September rainy season, a short pleasant winter and hazardous dry-season air.

Which is better for…

Your budget

It's a wash

Delhi and Dhaka cost about the same month to month once rent and everyday spending are combined.

Your career

Depends on your field

Both run on local + English at work, so the edge comes down to your sector. Delhi: Government, policy & diplomacy, Consulting & professional services, Technology & startups. Dhaka: Ready-made garments & textiles, Pharmaceuticals, Development & the NGO sector.

Your lifestyle

Depends what you want

Delhi feels like “The capital, the best metro in India, and an air quality index you will check like the weather”, while Dhakais “The garment industry's centre of gravity, and one of the densest cities on earth — now with a metro”. Climate is a real differentiator: Delhi — humid subtropical with extremes — 45°c+ in may and june, cold foggy januaries, and severe winter air pollution. Dhaka — tropical monsoon — humid heat most of the year, a heavy june–september rainy season, a short pleasant winter and hazardous dry-season air.

Which one will let you in?

Pick your passport to see which of these two you can actually enter, and on what.

The essentials at a glance

Detail🇮🇳 Delhi🇧🇩 Dhaka
Population≈33 million across the National Capital Region — among the largest urban agglomerations on earth≈23 million in the metropolitan area — among the most densely populated cities on earth
LanguagesHindi and English are both official; Punjabi and Urdu are widely spokenBengali (Bangla) is the national language and used almost universally; English is the language of business, higher education and the international sector
CurrencyIndian rupee (INR)Bangladeshi taka (BDT)
Time zoneIST (GMT+5:30) — India has a single time zone and no daylight savingBST (GMT+6) — no daylight saving
Power plugTypes C, D and M, 230 V / 50 HzType C, D and G, 220 V
ClimateHumid subtropical with extremes — 45°C+ in May and June, cold foggy Januaries, and a short monsoonTropical monsoon — a hot humid summer, a heavy June–September monsoon, a short pleasant winter, and severe air pollution through the dry months
Driving sideLeft—
Air qualityRoutinely 'very poor' to 'severe' from late October to January — the defining fact of living here—
Working week—Sunday to Thursday for government and much of the private sector; Friday is the weekly holiday, Saturday variable
Public transport—MRT Line 6 metro from Uttara North to Motijheel, plus buses, rickshaws, CNG auto-rickshaws and ride-hailing

Go deeper on each city

🇮🇳

Moving to Delhi

6 set-up guides · cost, language, culture & more

Read the full Delhi guide
🇧🇩

Moving to Dhaka

6 set-up guides · cost, language, culture & more

Read the full Dhaka guide

Still torn between Delhi and Dhaka?

Take the 30-second quiz or start a free, AI-personalized plan built around your job, budget and move date — and land in the right city with confidence.

Browse more city comparisons