Cost of Recreational Activities and Gym Memberships for Teachers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dhaka has a reputation for being cheap, and in some ways that's true. But recreation budgets are where international teachers get surprised. You can rent an apartment for $80-135 per month, but a single gym membership can cost nearly that much depending on where you want to work out. The gap between "budget local fitness" and "expat fitness club membership" is wide enough to derail your monthly spending plan if you don't know what you're getting into.

I've worked with teachers here who budgeted $50 for gym membership and found themselves paying $150 at a decent facility in Gulshan. Others found gyms for $10 a month and regretted it for the first time they saw the equipment. The difference comes down to location, facilities, and who owns the place. Understanding the tiers matters.

Gym Memberships: The Three-Tier Reality

Dhaka's fitness market has clear stratification based on location and quality. The data matters here because it directly affects what you can afford.

Budget gyms in outer areas like Gildani or Dhanmondi start at 1,000 Taka monthly, which works out to roughly $8-10 USD. These exist. I've seen them. They typically have basic equipment, minimal air conditioning, and changing rooms that wouldn't pass inspection in most Western countries. Some are genuinely fine for the price; others are held together with hope and duct tape. You get what you pay for, obviously.

Mid-range gyms in accessible areas run 2,000-5,000 Taka monthly ($16-41). This is where most teachers land. These facilities have decent equipment, air conditioning, locker rooms, and usually a small class schedule—maybe yoga, spin, or basic aerobics. The average price across the city sits at 3,452 Taka ($28), according to current cost surveys. These gyms work if you're comfortable in slightly crowded spaces and okay with equipment maintenance that's inconsistent.

Premium facilities in Gulshan or Banani—which is where many international schools cluster their staff housing—cost 15,000-25,000 Taka monthly ($123-205). These are the facilities you'd recognize: modern equipment, proper air conditioning, multiple classes daily, swimming pools, saunas. Schools like the American International School of Dhaka and International School Dhaka both have fitness centers available to staff, which is worth asking about during your contract negotiations. If your school has in-house facilities, your recreational budget just dropped significantly.

The reality is this: if you want to stay fit and you live in an expat-heavy area, you're probably looking at 10,000-15,000 Taka ($82-123) monthly for something acceptable. That's real money on a teacher salary, so factor it into your package negotiations.

Dining Out: Cheap, But Context-Dependent

One of Dhaka's genuine advantages is food affordability, but the pricing structure is confusing if you're new here. Local restaurants (run by Bangladeshis, serving local food) cost 200-500 Taka per person ($1.75-4.50). You eat well, authentically, and cheaply.

Mid-range restaurants—the ones frequented by expats and wealthier locals—run 800-2,000 Taka per person ($6.50-16.50). These serve international food, have air conditioning, English menus, and reliably safe dining environments. A dinner for two lands you at roughly 1,472 Taka average, or about $12 per person.

Fine dining (the kind you'd use for special occasions or business dinners) runs 3,000-6,000 Taka and up ($25-50+) per person. These exist. They're good. But they're not part of your weekly budget unless your salary is significantly above the median international school pay.

Fast food is also available, which is useful context. A McMeal or similar combo runs 575 Taka ($4.70). A cheeseburger is 173 Taka ($1.40). These aren't cheaper than eating at a local restaurant for the same meal, so that's not where you save money in Dhaka.

The key insight: if you eat where locals eat, you spend almost nothing. If you insist on Western food and expat-friendly restaurants, you're looking at reasonable costs by international standards, but expenses add up. Most teachers I know split the difference—cook at home most nights, eat local during the week, and hit a mid-range restaurant on weekends.

Other Recreation: Clubs, Cinema, Activities

Dhaka has an international club system that's been around for decades. Most major countries have clubs (the Dutch Club, the Australian Club, etc.), and these typically charge membership fees plus usage fees. Membership runs 40,000-80,000 Taka annually ($328-656), with additional costs for pool usage, tennis courts, or dining. This is a one-time decision that either works for you or it doesn't, depending on whether you want that specific community.

Cinema tickets cost 300-500 Taka ($2.50-4) for standard films. Bowling alleys exist but aren't cheap—they cater to wealthier locals and expats. Yoga classes are available through the international clubs and some independent instructors, usually 500-1,000 Taka per class ($4-8) or 5,000-10,000 Taka monthly ($41-82) for a membership.

The reality of Dhaka's recreation is that once you get beyond the absolute basics, costs are reasonable but not negligible. A month of mid-range gym membership, occasional dining out, and a few activities can easily run 15,000-20,000 Taka ($123-164). That's a significant chunk of what most international school teachers earn in Dhaka, which typically ranges from 200,000-400,000 Taka monthly ($1,640-3,280).

What Teachers Actually Budget

Based on what I've seen work for others, here's a realistic monthly breakdown for someone making decent international school money in Dhaka:

Gym or fitness: 5,000-10,000 Taka. This might be a decent mid-range gym or your school's facility.

Dining out: 5,000-8,000 Taka. Two or three meals weekly at mid-range restaurants, occasional street food.

Activities and clubs: 2,000-5,000 Taka. This covers the occasional yoga class, bowling night, or cinema trip.

Total recreation: 12,000-23,000 Taka ($98-189) monthly.

If you're living frugally, you can cut this in half by sticking to budget gyms, local food, and free activities. If you're at a premium school with a generous package, you probably won't notice these costs. The middle ground is where most teachers live, and the middle ground is affordable but worth planning for.

The Comparison That Matters

Here's what makes Dhaka interesting from a financial planning perspective. Your housing is cheap. Your daily food is cheap. Your recreation, if you want it to be pleasant, costs more than the rest of your life combined.

A teacher in Dubai spends 3,000-5,000 AED monthly on gym membership alone. A teacher in Tbilisi pays 130-170 GEL ($50-60). In Dhaka, you might pay half of Tbilisi's price or five times as much, depending on your choice.

The advantage is that you have options. You're not forced into a single price tier like you might be in wealthier cities. The disadvantage is that you have to be intentional about which tier you choose, because the costs are real and the difference between tiers matters.

Factor recreation into your package negotiation. It's legitimate to ask whether your school has fitness facilities, whether they offer club memberships as benefits, or whether they include any sports memberships. If they don't, know that you'll need to budget 10,000-15,000 Taka monthly for decent recreation, and build that into your planning before you arrive.