For expatriates, Dhaka more expensive than Washington, Melbourne and Riyadh!

[EastBengalPro]

Dhaka is now the 38th most expensive city worldwide for expatriates, according to Mercer’s latest cost of living survey released on Wednesday.

It is also more expensive than many of developed countries’ cities, like Washington (39) and Boston (51) of the United States, Melbourne (46) and Perth (50) of Australia, Oslo (46) of Norway and Riyadh (52) of Saudi Arabia.

The ranking also showed that the capital city of Bangladesh is much more expensive than its regional peers, like Delhi (99) and Mumbai (57) in India.

In fact, Dhaka is classified as the most expensive city in South Asia for the expatriates.

Angola’s capital Luanda topped the ranking followed by Hong Kong.

Asian cities continue to dominate the rankings, with five in the top 10.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2017/06/22/74612/Dhaka-more-expensive-than-Washington! 

 

[Nilgiri]

When you are catastrophically low on the liveability index, the few expats that do brave the currents to live there have to eck out more money to have the same living standards they are used to from before.

Very different phenomenon compared to developed and very liveable cities like Hong Kong (higher cost on goods and services - though accessible).

 

[jetray]

I would look at what metrics they considered. If they take price & availability of japanese beef or italian wine, it will always be expensive city to live.

 

[Fledgingwings]

What makes Dhaka expensive for expatriates?? never knew there are any at the first place.

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka is now the 38th most expensive city worldwide for expatriates, according to Mercer’s latest cost of living survey released on Wednesday.

It is also more expensive than many of developed countries’ cities, like Washington (39) and Boston (51) of the United States, Melbourne (46) and Perth (50) of Australia, Oslo (46) of Norway and Riyadh (52) of Saudi Arabia.

The ranking also showed that the capital city of Bangladesh is much more expensive than its regional peers, like Delhi (99) and Mumbai (57) in India.

In fact, Dhaka is classified as the most expensive city in South Asia for the expatriates.

Angola’s capital Luanda topped the ranking followed by Hong Kong.

Asian cities continue to dominate the rankings, with five in the top 10.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2017/06/22/74612/Dhaka-more-expensive-than-Washington!

I believe it. There are certain private-club gourmet French restaurants in Dhaka which boast only say six to eight reservations per evening at half lakh per head and they are booked months ahead......some of the top French chefs in the region show off their culinary skills in these places and service is extremely personalized by extremely well-trained wait staff, equal to any European Gourmet Five Michelin-rated outfit.

These places of course take bookings by recommendation from existing patrons of a certain status (not publicized, word-of-mouth only). My guess is only highly-placed expats, consuls and high-net-worth individuals in business with pedigree are allowed.

Here are a collection of mid-grade public restaurants which are okay by Dhaka standards.

Wasabi serves exotic Sushi, Sashimi, Maki rolls, Teppan Yaki and other Japanese and California-Japanese specialties.

Images Copyright Bellagio Ltd.

Bellagio serves continental (mainly French) specialties

Chef-de-Cuisine at Bellagio are all award winners and include the famous Gerard Wallace

As well as Guillaume Bonnety, one of the more prominent pastry chefs in Asia

Watercress serves Pan Asian (primarily Vietnamese and Indonesian) cuisine

Spice & Rice (Local specialties)

L'Orange serves Continental specialties

I'm sure as the living standard increases (with disposable income) - hip eateries at all price points will keep mushrooming all over Dhaka, as if not enough already.

Nowadays the culinary variety is unbelievably diverse because of a large number of Dhaka-dwellers' weekly culinary jaunts to places like Bangkok, KL, Singapore and Hong-Kong. The taste of those places are being created at home where a certain section of people are willing to pay well (say Tk. 7000 per person on average) for a well-cooked and nicely presented meal in a place with nice ambiance.

Of course this says nothing about the myriad coffee joints, student hangouts, family restaurants etc. at all price-points, down to roadside local burger chains.

More in my restaurant thread here,

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/bangladesh-cuisine-restaurants.338723/page-1

 

[Nilgiri]

What makes Dhaka expensive for expatriates?? never knew there are any at the first place.

Supply of high quality (+secure) housing (standard international expat level) is limited....thus pricey. From this stems other escalating costs (having to import many essential quality goods and pay all the tarrifs on that...given BD produces 0).

You will see a lot of BD members here claiming yada yada yada (as though a few pictures of restaurants indicate any broader realised trend on the ground)....in the end you can compare the quality of living to the cost of living (both produced by Mercer) rankings for expatriates.

Dhaka is ranked 38th (out of 209) for cost and 214th (out of 231) for quality....horrendous disparity. Similar cities with this phenomenon include Lagos (Nigeria) and Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

For regional comparison:

Mumbai: 57th for Cost, 154th for quality

Karachi: 201st for Cost, 204th for quality

https://www.mercer.ca/en/newsroom/cost-of-living-2017.html

https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/quality-of-living-rankings

 

[Bilal9]

Ignore some of the negative posts from the usual kanjoosi brigade - they could not get into some of the more exclusive Dhaka restaurants or boutique hotels in any case, hence the needless spitting of venom.

 

[Nilgiri]

Reality checks are often quite bitter....but call it venom if you want to.

Quality of living by Mercer and liveability index by economist must really stick in your craw.

B-b-b-but cost of living is supposed to 1:1 correlate with quality of living for expats

Mercer itself says to that ludicrous assertion. Must hurt you.....a lot.

 

[ashok321]

Who are those Expats working here in Dhaka and in what field?
Of course the world famous Mercer is right, because in proportion to their salaries, their pocket hurts when they go shopping for high end materials and lavish meals...

If the Luanda can be numero uno, beating Hong Kong and Singapore, then there should be no dispute.
I am surprised on Angola because i was in Lobito & Mosamedes ports way back in eighties wherein I saw AK-47 gun totting Cuban soldiers all around.

Remember the heading says: For expatriates.... And this makes all the difference.
Hence no surprise here.
But initially my view was like ; hey, the underdog has won the race.

 

[Michael Corleone]

Makes sense. Last time we went to bd, 1 piece of kebab cost as much as a kebab meal in Kuwait. Money drains in Dhaka like water.

 

[Mage]

Supply of high quality (+secure) housing (standard international expat level) is limited....thus pricey. From this stems other escalating costs (having to import many essential quality goods and pay all the tarrifs on that...given BD produces 0).

You will see a lot of BD members here claiming yada yada yada (as though a few pictures of restaurants indicate any broader realised trend on the ground)....in the end you can compare the quality of living to the cost of living (both produced by Mercer) rankings for expatriates.

Dhaka is ranked 38th (out of 209) for cost and 214th (out of 231) for quality....horrendous disparity. Similar cities with this phenomenon include Lagos (Nigeria) and Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

For regional comparison:

Mumbai: 57th for Cost, 154th for quality

Karachi: 201st for Cost, 204th for quality

https://www.mercer.ca/en/newsroom/cost-of-living-2017.html

https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/quality-of-living-rankings

We're improving. Within 10 years Dhaka will be in top 200.

 

[Nilgiri]

We're improving. Within 10 years Dhaka will be in top 200.

Well depends how many cities they add to the list in addition (they keep growing it) to those listed now.

But yes the overall percentile I would imagine will improve over time for Dhaka with greater investment density and capacity provision....and they will eventually add Chittagong to the list too I would imagine.

 

[Gibbs]

Reality checks are often quite bitter....but call it venom if you want to.

Quality of living by Mercer and liveability index by economist must really stick in your craw.

B-b-b-but cost of living is supposed to 1:1 correlate with quality of living for expats

Mercer itself says to that ludicrous assertion. Must hurt you.....a lot.

Hmmm as far as quality of living and livability index goes these are the top ranked for the South Asian nations (Wouldn't even bother to compare Australian living standards)

2017 CITY RANKINGS

132 Colombo, Sri Lanka

144 Hyderabad, India

194 Islamabad, Pakistan

203 Yangon, Myanmar (Not South Asian but comparative with the standard of development)

214 Dhaka, Bangladesh

Not a good reason to harp about for either of these nationalities imho

@Bombaywalla @Aung Zaya

https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/Portals/0/Content/Rankings/rankings/qol2017e784512/index.html

 

[Arthur]

Expats in BD aren't exactly known for their "cheap" life style. These people are mostly highly paid business executives, Officials & diplomats. They regularly visits high end resturants, drives expensive cars etc. etc. And guess what, these things costs an arm load. No world wonder there.

 

[Aung Zaya]

Hmmm as far as quality of living and livability index goes these are the ranks for the South Asian cities (Wouldn't even bother to compare Australian living standards)

2017 CITY RANKINGS

132 Colombo, Sri Lanka

144 Hyderabad, India

194 Islamabad, Pakistan

203 Yangon, Myanmar

214 Dhaka, Bangladesh

Not a good reason to harp about for either of these nationalities imho

@Bombaywalla @Aung Zaya

https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/Portals/0/Content/Rankings/rankings/qol2017e784512/index.html

our country just open for foreign investment. just 4 year. everythings was overpriced and bad quality before that. now the price are falling and hope to see improvement in ranking year by year. :p