What a Family of Four Actually Spends in Dhaka Each Month

Fuel went up Tk 20 a litre in September. Electricity went up in June. A gas cylinder now costs more than Tk 2,000 in many shops. So what does it really cost to run a normal family home in Dhaka right now? We added it up, line by line.

Meet the family we built for this story. A husband and wife in their thirties, one child in class 3, one in kindergarten. They rent a two-bedroom flat in Mirpur. He works in a private office near Motijheel. She manages the home and some freelance work. They are not poor, not rich: a typical middle-income Dhaka household.

Based on market prices and official rates as of late October 2026, this family needs about Tk 70,000 a month to live without cutting corners. A tighter version of the same life costs around Tk 40,000. A comfortable one, with English medium schooling for both children and a bigger flat, can pass Tk 1.3 lakh.

For comparison, a recent Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics survey found average monthly household spending of Tk 46,778 in city corporation areas, against an average household income of Tk 33,513 nationally (Asia News Network). Many families are spending more than they earn, and the same survey found nearly half of households in debt.

Below, we break down every major cost: rent and bills, groceries, school and transport. Prices are from TCB, BERC, the transport ministry and market reports. Where no official figure exists, we give our own estimate and say so.

Rent and bills: about Tk 23,000

Rent: the biggest single cost

In Mirpur, a two-bedroom flat was typically advertised at Tk 14,000 to 20,000 a month in mid-October 2026, with a median of Tk 16,000 across listings reviewed (LivingSN). Mirpur 12 and Pallabi near the metro sit at the top of that range. Older buildings in Mirpur 1 can go as low as Tk 8,000.

Mohammadpur is similar. Two-bedroom flats listed this year mostly asked Tk 15,000 to 20,000, with some on Iqbal Road at Tk 27,000 (Aabason). Gulshan, Banani and Dhanmondi cost far more.

On top of rent, most buildings charge a monthly service charge for the guard, lift, cleaning and water. We estimate Tk 1,500 for a normal Mirpur building.

Our family pays: Tk 16,000 rent + Tk 1,500 service charge = Tk 17,500.

Electricity

BERC raised the average retail power tariff by 16.7 per cent from the June 2026 bill, to Tk 10.63 per unit (TBS). After public anger, the two lowest slabs were rolled back: Tk 5.26 per unit for the first 75 units, then Tk 8.50 for 76 to 200 units (Financial Express).

A flat with fans, a fridge, lights, a TV and a few hours of AC or iron use easily crosses 200 units. Our estimate: about Tk 1,800 a month, higher in summer.

Cooking gas

Newer buildings have no piped gas line, since new household connections have long been stopped, so many families buy LPG cylinders. BERC set the official price of a 12 kg cylinder at Tk 1,837 for October, up Tk 252 from September. But buyers told bdnews24 they could not find one for less than Tk 2,300 (bdnews24). A family of four usually uses about one cylinder a month.

Our family pays: about Tk 2,300.

Internet and mobile

Home broadband plus two mobile phone packages. Our estimate: Tk 1,500.

Total rent and bills: about Tk 23,100.

Groceries: about Tk 15,000

Food is where families feel price rises every single week. Here is a realistic monthly shopping list for four people, using the latest prices from TCB and Dhaka kitchen market reports.

Item	Monthly amount	Price (Oct 2026)	Monthly cost
Rice (Paijam / Miniket)	30 kg	Tk 60 to 75 per kg	Tk 2,000
Lentils	3 kg	Up to Tk 165 per kg for fine	Tk 450
Bottled soybean oil	5 litres	Tk 1,000 for 5 litres	Tk 1,000
Eggs	60 pieces	Tk 47 to 50 per hali	Tk 750
Broiler chicken	6 kg	Tk 180 to 190 per kg	Tk 1,100
Fish	6 kg	Our estimate	Tk 1,800
Beef	1.5 kg	Our estimate	Tk 1,200
Onion, potato, garlic, ginger	Mixed	Onion Tk 60 per kg	Tk 900
Vegetables and fruit	Mixed	Our estimate	Tk 2,500
Milk, sugar, tea, flour, spices	Mixed	Our estimate	Tk 2,100
Soap, detergent, toiletries	Mixed	Our estimate	Tk 1,200
Total			Tk 15,000

Where the prices come from: Miniket rice rose Tk 2 to Tk 75 a kg and Paijam to Tk 60 in mid-October, which traders blamed on higher transport costs after the fuel hike (Jagonews24). TCB data shows eggs at Tk 47 to 50 per four pieces, broiler chicken at Tk 180 to 190 a kg and bottled soybean oil at Tk 1,000 for five litres (BSS). Onions reached Tk 60 a kg and fine lentils Tk 165 in late October (The New Nation).

Prices for lentils, onions, oil and sugar are already creeping up ahead of Ramadan, still four months away. Families that buy in bulk now, especially rice and oil, can save a little.

A tighter version: coarse rice at Tk 50 to 55, less fish and beef, more lentils and eggs. That brings the list closer to Tk 11,000. A comfortable version with more fish, beef, fruit and packaged foods easily reaches Tk 22,000.

School: about Tk 15,000

For many Dhaka parents, school is the cost that decides everything else, including which area they rent in.

English medium fees vary hugely. A 2026 guide from a Dhaka school puts monthly tuition across English medium schools at roughly Tk 6,000 to more than Tk 80,000, with one-time admission fees from about Tk 20,000 to Tk 5 lakh or more (CMIS). Affordable local English medium schools sit at Tk 6,000 to 12,000 a month, the next tier at Tk 12,000 to 25,000, and the well-known names much higher.

Bangla medium and English version schools under the national curriculum cost far less in tuition. But many parents then pay for private tutors or coaching, which narrows the gap.

Hidden extras add up: admission and re-admission fees each year, exam fees, books, uniforms, school trips and transport. School transport is usually not included in tuition (CMIS).

What our family pays each month:

• Older child, class 3, in an affordable English medium school: Tk 8,000
• Younger child in kindergarten: Tk 3,500 (our estimate)
• Home tutor three days a week: Tk 3,000 (our estimate)
• Books, stationery and exam fees spread over the year: Tk 500

Total: Tk 15,000 a month, plus a once-a-year admission or session fee that many families forget to save for.

If both children went to a national curriculum school with a little tutoring, the family could spend nearer Tk 4,000 to 5,000. If both moved to a mid-range English medium school with regular tutors, it could reach Tk 35,000 to 40,000.

Transport: about Tk 5,500

The government raised diesel, petrol, octane and kerosene by Tk 20 a litre from 21 September 2026, putting diesel at Tk 135 and octane at Tk 165 (Daily Waadaa). Every kind of transport got more expensive after that.

City bus. Dhaka city bus fares rose from Tk 2.53 to Tk 2.70 per kilometre (The Daily Star). The minimum fare has stayed at Tk 10. A 12 km trip from Mirpur to Motijheel should cost about Tk 32 by the official chart, though conductors often round up.

Metro rail. The metro charges Tk 5 per kilometre, with a minimum fare of Tk 20. It is roughly double the bus fare but far faster. Prothom Alo reports the full Uttara to Motijheel ride costs Tk 90, compared with about Tk 50 by bus (Prothom Alo).

Rickshaw, CNG and ride-share have no fixed public fare in practice. Drivers raised prices after the fuel hike, while some ride-share drivers say they now get fewer trips.

What our family spends each month:

• Husband’s office commute, mostly metro with some bus, 22 working days: Tk 2,200
• Rickshaw or van to school and back for the children: Tk 2,000 (our estimate)
• Wife’s errands and weekend family trips by rickshaw, CNG or ride-share: Tk 1,300 (our estimate)

Total: about Tk 5,500. A family that owns a car or motorbike would spend far more, with octane at Tk 165 a litre plus parking and maintenance.

The full monthly budget

Here is the whole picture for three versions of the same family of four. The middle column is the family we followed above.

Expense	Tight	Middle (our family)	Comfortable
Rent and service charge	Tk 11,500	Tk 17,500	Tk 33,000
Electricity	Tk 1,200	Tk 1,800	Tk 4,000
Cooking gas	Tk 2,300	Tk 2,300	Tk 2,300
Internet and mobile	Tk 800	Tk 1,500	Tk 2,500
Groceries	Tk 11,000	Tk 15,000	Tk 22,000
School and tutors	Tk 4,500	Tk 15,000	Tk 38,000
Transport	Tk 2,500	Tk 5,500	Tk 12,000
Health and medicine	Tk 2,000	Tk 3,500	Tk 6,000
Part-time home help	None	Tk 3,000	Tk 8,000
Clothes, outings, gifts, other	Tk 2,500	Tk 5,000	Tk 12,000
Total per month	About Tk 38,000	About Tk 70,000	About Tk 1.4 lakh

A few things stand out.

• Rent and food together take about half the budget for the middle family. A BBS survey found families nationally spend nearly 42 per cent of their budget on food alone (Financial Express).
• School is the line that moves the most. It is Tk 4,500 for the tight family and Tk 38,000 for the comfortable one, almost nine times more.
• Health costs are real and regular. A BIDS study found Bangladeshi households spend an average of Tk 3,454 a month on healthcare (Financial Express).
• There is no savings line here. None of these budgets include savings, loan payments, or money sent to parents in the village. For many families, those are the first things cut when prices rise.

These are estimates for a Mirpur-style area. In Dhanmondi, Gulshan or Bashundhara, rent and school alone can double the comfortable column.

How Dhaka families are coping

When income stays flat and prices climb, families make small, quiet changes. These are some of the most common:

• Moving one step further out. A family in Mirpur 10 moves to Mirpur 1 or Pallabi’s outer lanes to save Tk 3,000 to 5,000 on rent, and accepts a longer commute.
• Buying in bulk. A 25 kg sack of rice and a 5-litre oil bottle cost less per kilo or litre than small packs, and protect against sudden price jumps.
• Cutting protein first. Beef becomes a once-a-month item. Eggs and lentils replace some fish and chicken.
• Switching to the bus or metro. Fewer rickshaw and ride-share trips, even if it takes longer.
• Second incomes. Many wives and older children now do freelance work, tutoring or home-based selling online.
• Borrowing. This is the one to watch. The BBS survey found nearly half of households in debt (Asia News Network).

Frequently asked questions

How much does a family of four need to live in Dhaka?

Based on our breakdown, about Tk 70,000 a month for a middle-income family renting a two-bedroom flat in an area like Mirpur. A tight budget can be around Tk 38,000, and a comfortable one about Tk 1.4 lakh.

What is the average rent for a two-bedroom flat in Dhaka?

In Mirpur and Mohammadpur, most two-bedroom flats are advertised at Tk 14,000 to 20,000 a month. Prime areas like Dhanmondi, Banani and Gulshan cost much more.

How much does a 12 kg gas cylinder cost now?

The official BERC price for October 2026 is Tk 1,837, but many buyers report paying around Tk 2,300 in shops.

How much is the Dhaka bus fare per kilometre?

Tk 2.70 per kilometre for city buses since September 2026, with a minimum fare of Tk 10.

How much is the metro rail fare?

Tk 5 per kilometre, with a minimum of Tk 20.

What is the cheapest way to cut monthly costs?

Rent and school are the biggest levers. Food savings come mainly from bulk buying and changing the protein mix.

Key words explained

Word	Simple meaning
TCB	Trading Corporation of Bangladesh; the state agency that tracks market prices and sells subsidised goods
BERC	Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission; sets electricity and LPG prices
LPG	Liquefied petroleum gas, sold in cylinders for cooking
Hali	A set of four eggs
Service charge	Monthly building fee for guard, lift, cleaning and water
Unit	One kilowatt-hour of electricity, the measure on your meter
Admission or session fee	A yearly fee many schools charge on top of monthly tuition

How we reported this

We built a sample family and priced each line using official rates from BERC and the transport ministry, TCB market data, and Dhaka kitchen market reports published in October 2026. Rents come from published property listings in Mirpur and Mohammadpur. School fees come from published fee guides. Where no public figure exists, such as fish, vegetables, tutoring and home help, we give our own estimate and label it clearly. All figures are monthly and correct as of 31 October 2026. Your own costs will depend on your area, your children’s schools and your habits.