Bangladesh: cost of living

How fast are food prices rising in Bangladesh?

Food prices in Bangladesh were 7.22% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics monthly CPI release for September 2026. Food inflation was 7.25% in urban areas and 7.18% in rural areas, and food prices rose 1.34% from August.

Non-food inflation, which covers housing, energy, transport and services, was higher at 9.30%. The food index tracks rice, fish, vegetables and other items bought by households, weighted by the 2016-17 household survey. Food inflation was much higher in July 2024, at 14.10%, according to the 2026-27 budget speech.

Official sources: BBS: CPI, inflation and wage release, September 2026 (PDF) · Finance Division: Budget Speech 2026-27 (PDF)

What is the poverty rate in Bangladesh?

18.7% of people in Bangladesh lived below the upper national poverty line in 2022, down from 24.3% in 2016, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2022. Extreme poverty, measured against the lower line, was 5.6%, down from 12.9%. Poverty was 20.5% in rural areas and 14.7% in urban areas.

Poverty is measured by the cost-of-basic-needs method, comparing household consumption with the cost of a minimum food basket plus essential non-food items. The household survey runs every few years, so 2022 is the latest official estimate; the World Bank shows the same 18.7%. Reports are listed on the BBS income and poverty page.

Official sources: BBS: HIES 2022 statistical highlights (PDF) · BBS: income, expenditure and poverty · World Bank: poverty at national lines, Bangladesh

What is the price of petrol in Bangladesh?

Petrol costs Tk160 a litre in Bangladesh, octane Tk165, diesel Tk135 and kerosene Tk155, at prices effective from 21 September 2026, according to the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.

Retail fuel prices are set by the government and published by BPC, which imports and distributes most of the country's fuel. The table shows the date each price took effect, so check it for the latest change. Diesel matters most for transport and irrigation costs, which feed into food prices. Electricity and gas tariffs are set separately by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission.

Official sources: Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation: retail fuel prices

What are the income tax rates in Bangladesh?

For tax years 2026-27 and 2027-28 the first Tk375,000 of an individual's income is tax-free, up from Tk350,000, according to the national budget speech for 2026-27. Income above that is taxed at 10% on the next Tk300,000, 15% on the next Tk400,000, 20% on the next Tk500,000, 25% on the next Tk2,000,000 and 30% on the rest.

The speech sets out a five-year schedule: the threshold rises to Tk400,000 for 2028-29 and 2029-30, when a 35% band is added for income above Tk30 million, and to Tk450,000 for 2030-31. Women and people aged 65 and over have a higher threshold of Tk425,000. The rates take legal effect through the Finance Act, and the National Board of Revenue administers them.

Official sources: Finance Division: Budget Speech 2026-27 (PDF) · National Board of Revenue

What is the average household income in Bangladesh?

The average household in Bangladesh had an income of Tk32,422 a month in 2022 and spent Tk31,500, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2022. Urban households averaged Tk45,757 and rural households Tk26,163. Income per person was Tk7,614 a month.

The survey covers 14,400 households, with an average size of 4.26 people. Income roughly doubled from Tk15,988 in 2016, but prices also rose over the period, so the real increase is smaller. The 2022 survey is the latest; inflation since then, published monthly by BBS, has eroded part of these incomes.

Official sources: BBS: HIES 2022 statistical highlights (PDF) · BBS: income, expenditure and poverty

What is the VAT rate in Bangladesh?

The standard rate of value added tax in Bangladesh is 15%, as the national budget speech for 2026-27 shows in several proposals to exempt particular goods and services from the 15 percent VAT. Reduced rates and exemptions apply to many items.

VAT is charged under the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act 2012 and collected by the National Board of Revenue. Some goods carry lower truncated rates, and supplementary duty is added on items such as tobacco. The 2026-27 budget proposes exemptions for start-ups and youth enterprises, so check the current schedule for a specific product.

Official sources: Finance Division: Budget Speech 2026-27 (PDF) · National Board of Revenue

What is the inflation rate in Bangladesh?

The latest figure from the IMF, for 2025, is 8.8%. Its high point since 2005 was 2011, at 11.4%; its low point was 2009, at 5.4%. South Asia median: 3.1%; Bangladesh is 1st highest of 6. Worldwide: 19th of 165.

What is household spending per person in Bangladesh?

The latest figure from the World Bank, for 2025, is $1,392. No year since 2005 has been higher. Of 124 countries with 2025 data, 96th highest.

What share of people in Bangladesh live in extreme poverty?

The World Bank puts the share of people living on less than $3.00 a day in Bangladesh at 5.9% in 2022. That compares with 25.1% in 2010. Worldwide: 13th of 72.

What is the poverty rate in Bangladesh?

In 2022, the share of people below the national poverty line in Bangladesh was 18.7%, according to the World Bank. Of 52 countries with 2022 data, 33rd highest.

What is income inequality in Bangladesh?

The World Bank puts the Gini index in Bangladesh at 30.9 in 2022. It was 32.1 in 2010. World rank, highest first: 54th of 72.

What is food insecurity in Bangladesh?

26.2%: that is moderate or severe food insecurity in Bangladesh for 2024, according to the FAO. Its high point since 2015 was 2015, at 30.6%; its low point was 2023, at 26.0%. Worldwide: 61st of 135.