Dhaka
Bangladesh · Asia · 10M people
One of the world's densest megacities, with severe traffic and pollution.
Ranked #296 of 303 overall · 23.81, 90.41
Overview
With a population of around 10 million, Dhaka is one of Bangladesh's notable cities, part of the wider Asia region. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. It's a city that tends to fly under the radar compared to its country's biggest names, without being any less livable for it. People who choose to settle in Dhaka tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a climate most people find easy to live with, and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Against its 76 tracked peers in Asia, Dhaka's 5.1/10 overall score sits 1.4 points below the regional average of 6.5, though a lower average score doesn't rule it out — it depends entirely on which criteria matter most to you. On CityMatch, Dhaka scores 5.1/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #296 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is cost of living at 8/10, while environment & air quality is its softest spot at 3/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
One of the more affordable picks in our database.
Worth checking specific areas before committing.
Air quality is a genuine downside here.
Budget for a car or regular rideshares.
Reasonably comfortable year-round.
Healthcare access is average at best.
Covers standard connectivity needs.
Is Dhaka right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
At 8/10, Dhaka is genuinely easy on the budget — one of the more affordable options for the lifestyle it offers.
Climate scores 7/10 — genuinely pleasant weather is one of the clearer reasons people choose Dhaka.
Internet and connectivity score 7/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Environment and air quality score just 3/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Transport is the soft spot at 3/10 — plan on a car or regular rideshares rather than relying on public transit alone.
Is Dhaka safe?
Dhaka scores 4/10 on safety, a mixed picture. Safety here varies more by specific neighborhood and time of day than in higher-scoring cities, so a little local research goes a long way.
At night
We'd lean toward rideshares or taxis after dark rather than walking unfamiliar routes, particularly outside the main tourist and business districts.
For tourists
Tourists should do a bit more homework here than usual — checking which districts are considered fine for visitors and which are best avoided, especially after dark.
For families
Families would want to weigh the 3.7/10 average of safety, healthcare and environment carefully against what specifically matters most to your household.
For solo travelers
Solo travelers, and particularly those less familiar with the region, may want to research specific neighborhoods and current local advice more closely before finalizing plans.
On public transport
We'd be more selective about late-night public transport here — daytime use is generally fine, but off-peak service and platforms are worth a second thought.
Practical tips
- →Research specific neighborhoods before booking accommodation.
- →Arrange transport in advance for anything after dark rather than walking unfamiliar routes.
What's the climate like in Dhaka?
Climate here (7/10) is comfortably in the "fine, not exceptional" range — a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Seasonal character
Expect a normal four-season rhythm (or a wet/dry split closer to the equator), without extremes dominating the calendar.
Comfort level
Comfort is generally good, with the odd day or short stretch that calls for planning ahead rather than year-round ease.
Best time to live here
Shoulder-season months (spring and autumn, broadly) tend to be the safest bet if you can choose when to visit or move.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Dhaka
Put together, quality of life in Dhaka is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: at over 3 million people, dhaka moves at a genuine big-city pace — more anonymous, more options, but also more competition for space and time, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's more mixed and transport that's worth planning around.
Pace & lifestyle
At over 3 million people, Dhaka moves at a genuine big-city pace — more anonymous, more options, but also more competition for space and time.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor and green-space time comes with more caveats here — environment (3/10) and climate (7/10) scores suggest it's more weather- and air-quality-dependent than in higher-scoring cities.
Getting around
Transport is a genuine weak point (3/10); budgeting for a car or regular rideshares is close to a practical necessity for daily life.
Culture & leisure
Dhaka isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Dhaka tends to suit people who prioritize cost of living and climate over environment & air quality — see "Who Dhaka suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Dhaka?
At 3/10, Dhaka's environment score is among the lower end of our database; this is worth taking seriously if pollution affects your health or daily routine.
Public spaces
We don't track litter or waste management directly, but a low environment score like this one is often accompanied by visible upkeep issues in practice — worth confirming with recent visitor reports if it matters to you.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Dhaka suits
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 5.6/10 here).
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 5.5/10 here).
Digital nomad
Digital nomads — remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (fit score 5.9/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 5.6/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
With a cost-of-living score of 8/10, Dhaka sits among the more budget-friendly options in our database, which matters as much for a short stay as for a permanent move.
Safety
Dhaka scores 4/10 on safety, meaning it's worth researching specific neighborhoods rather than assuming the city-wide average applies everywhere.
Climate
Weather here (7/10) is reasonably pleasant most of the year, with a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Quality of life
Quality of life in Dhaka is uneven rather than uniformly good or bad — a 5.1/10 average built on a clear high point in cost of living and a clear weak point in environment & air quality. The average across all seven criteria is 5.1/10.
Transport
Public transport is a genuine weak point in Dhaka (3/10) — plan on driving or ride-hailing for most of what a metro system would otherwise cover.
Internet & remote work
Dhaka's internet score of 7/10 covers standard remote-work needs without much friction.
Why choose Dhaka?
Dhaka isn't the right fit for everyone, but for the right profile — someone who values cost of living and can live with environment & air quality — it scores well at 5.1/10 overall. Use the comparisons and rankings below to see how it stacks up against the alternatives.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Dhaka safe?
Dhaka scores 4/10 on safety, a mixed picture. Safety varies noticeably by neighborhood here, so it's worth researching specific areas before you commit to one.
What budget do I need to live in Dhaka?
Dhaka scores 8/10 on affordability — one of the cheaper cities in our database. A modest budget covers a comfortable lifestyle here compared to most of the 303 cities we track.
Is Dhaka good for families?
Dhaka isn't a natural fit for families on paper: the average of safety, healthcare and environment scores (3.7/10) is below what most family-focused cities on our site score.
Is Dhaka a good city for students?
Dhaka isn't an obvious student pick: affordability (8/10) and transport (3/10) average out lower than the cities we specifically tag for students.
Is Dhaka suitable for digital nomads?
Dhaka isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 7/10 and cost of living 8/10.
What's the climate like in Dhaka?
Dhaka scores 7/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Dhaka pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Dhaka scores 7/10 on climate and 3/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Dhaka a good choice for a first move abroad?
A first move abroad is more demanding in Dhaka: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to just 3.5/10, so more preparation and local research is worth doing before committing.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Dhaka?
Dhaka scores 7/10 on internet — generally fine for remote work, without being a standout choice for it.
Is Dhaka a good place to retire?
Dhaka isn't an obvious retirement pick on our data: healthcare, climate and safety average out to just 5.0/10, below what most retiree-friendly cities on our site score.
What are good alternatives to Dhaka?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Yangon and Karachi are the closest matches to Dhaka in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Dhaka worth living in?
It depends heavily on your priorities — Dhaka's overall score of 5.1/10 reflects real trade-offs rather than an easy yes. Check the strengths and trade-offs sections above before deciding.
Who should move to Dhaka?
Based on its score profile, Dhaka suits people who value cost of living and climate more than the average mover — see the "Who Dhaka suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Dhaka walkable, and is public transport good?
Not especially — Dhaka scores just 3/10 on transport, so expect to lean on a car, bike or rideshares more than public transit alone.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Dhaka?
Cost of living is Dhaka's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Dhaka?
Environment & air quality is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 3/10 — the lowest of Dhaka's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.