An Expat Talks about Moving to Dhaka, Bangladesh

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Dhaka

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

Mattress and pillows. No need to bring sheets, duvets, winter clothes.

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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

Set right expectations. Visit Dhaka first before you decide. Try in May to July when families are ending contracts. Check for mold. Check the water supply. Check any possibility that a construction project may start nearby. If there are one floor houses around, the risk is high that a 6 to 10 floor building will start below your window. By the time it reaches your windows you can touch it by hand. This is close together they build their buildings. Check in clubs. There are lots of info posted there. Check Deshperate in Dhaka on Facebook too.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

Apartment. Yes, people do live mostly in apartments here.

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

Basically my company decided. All expats lived in Gulshan area so we went for same. Baridhara seemed nicer but it was more expensive too. Now they have started construction on high buildings everywhere in both Gulshan and Baridhara and it is quite tough to live in these areas. In a few years these areas will not be so called residential anymore. My company used an agent to see apartments.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

Higher. It is difficult to compare, but for a decent apt in Bucharest it will be a few hundreds euro. In Dhaka, it is thousands.