Moving to Bangladesh from Sri Lanka

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh, you would find that Bangladesh is 13.2% cheaper than Sri Lanka overall. A LKR24,752,613 salary in Sri Lanka would need to be roughly BDT6,888,848 in Bangladesh to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bengali.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh.

What does your salary buy?

LKR24,752,613 BDT6,888,848

To maintain the same standard of living in Bangladesh

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 52.2% less

Groceries

pay 44.0% less

Transportation

pay 7.7% more

Housing

pay 39.6% less

Childcare

pay 54.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 LKR = 0.372 BDT (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

LK
3.4
BD
2.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LK
11.5
BD
18.6

Sri Lanka generally does better on safety, though Bangladesh leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LK
$507
BD
$198
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
BD
6.7

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bangladesh leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LK
37.0
BD
66.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
BD
0.7t

Sri Lanka generally does better on environment, though Bangladesh leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LK
10.1
BD
7.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LK
90.8%
BD
5.7%

Sri Lanka generally does better on infrastructure, though Bangladesh leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
BD
5.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
BD
$8,200

Sri Lanka generally does better on employment & economy, though Bangladesh leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LK
77.5 yrs
BD
74.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
BD
30.4

Sri Lanka generally does better on family life, though Bangladesh leads in education spending.

Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Dhaka Rain: 84.8 in/yr (2154 mm)
87° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo Dhaka
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 84°/61°F (29°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 91°/76°F (33°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 89°/79°F (32°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 85°/67°F (29°/19°C)
View all months
Month Colombo Dhaka
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.7°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 83°/60°F (28.1°/15.5°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 90°/69°F (32.4°/20.3°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 93°/74°F (33.8°/23.6°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 91°/76°F (32.9°/24.5°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.1°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 89°/79°F (31.4°/26.2°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 89°/79°F (31.6°/26.3°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 89°/79°F (31.8°/25.9°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.8°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 85°/67°F (29.6°/19.2°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 80°/58°F (26.4°/14.3°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. To live, work, or study long-term in Bangladesh, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Bangladesh's immigration authority.

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Bangladesh

Visa Required
Sri Lanka passport holders need a visa to enter Bangladesh.
Bangladesh passport

Bangladesh passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Bangladesh passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Bangladesh than Sri Lanka?

Yes — Bangladesh is on average about 25% cheaper than Sri Lanka. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Bangladesh?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly BDT1,722,212 in Bangladesh on a LKR24,752,613 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Bangladesh?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Bangladesh has 7.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Bangladesh safe for expats?

Sri Lanka generally does better on safety, though Bangladesh leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Bangladesh is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.

How is healthcare in Bangladesh compared to Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bangladesh leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 6.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Bangladesh, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Bangladesh scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

What's the weather like in Bangladesh compared to Sri Lanka?

The average high temperature in Dhaka is 87°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Dhaka receives around 84.8 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.

What language do they speak in Bangladesh?

The official language in Bangladesh is Bengali. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

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At a Glance

LK BD
Population 23,187,516 165,650,475
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Bangladeshi Taka (BDT)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Bengali
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +94 +880
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119 999