How to rent a flat in Dhaka

Dhaka is a city of very different neighbourhoods packed into one map. Two flats with the same rent can cost very different amounts to live in, because the rent is only one line of the monthly bill. This guide is about the other lines.

Choose the area around your day, not the map

The useful question is not “which area is best” but “what does a normal weekday look like from here”. A cheaper flat two bus changes away from work can cost more in time and fare than a smaller flat within walking distance. Before you commit, travel the route at the hour you would actually travel it — a road that is empty on a Friday morning can be gridlocked at 9am on a Sunday.

Within Dhaka, areas are usually described by the thana or the housing society: Mirpur, Uttara, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Bashundhara, Badda, Khilgaon and so on. Look at what is within a ten-minute walk of the gate — a market, a pharmacy, a bus stop, a mosque or a school — because that is what daily life actually uses.

Rent is not the whole cost

Ask what the rent includes before comparing two numbers. The common extras are the service or maintenance charge, water, gas, electricity, generator or lift charges, and sometimes a guard’s salary. Some landlords include one or two of these in the rent and bill the rest separately; others bill everything on top.

Ask to see how the utility bills were calculated for the last few months, and check whether the flat has its own meter. A flat on a shared meter leaves you paying for someone else’s usage.

Monthly rent, and the date it is due
Service or maintenance charge, and what it covers
Water, gas, electricity: included, metered, or billed at a flat rate
Advance or deposit: how many months, and under what conditions it is returned
Notice period for leaving, and for a rent increase
Who pays for repairs, and how a repair request is made

Inspect the flat the way you will live in it

Visit in daylight and, if you can, again in the evening. Run the taps and check the water pressure; flush the toilet; switch on every light and fan; open the windows and check for damp, mould and street noise. Ask where the gas line and the meter are, and confirm that the supply is connected and legal.

Check the things that are expensive to fix later: the ceiling for water stains, the bathroom for drainage, the kitchen for ventilation, the main door and its lock, and the balcony railing. Ask whether the building has a lift, a generator, a water pump and a guard, and whether any of those stop at night.

Put the agreement in writing

A written agreement should name the property, the owner, the tenant, the monthly rent, the advance, the notice period, the date the tenancy starts and what furniture or fittings are included. Attach a list of what was in the flat on move-in day and take photographs of the meter readings.

Pay the advance only after you have seen the flat, met the person who is entitled to rent it, and read the agreement. Get a receipt for every payment, and keep it with the agreement. If the owner will not put the terms in writing, treat that as information about how the tenancy is likely to go.

Going further

Once you have shortlisted a place, the tenant checklist on Renttas is the list to take to the visit: documents to ask for, points to inspect, and the terms to confirm before signing. If you are still choosing, browse the area pages to see what is actually available and at what monthly rent.

Last updated 2026-11-01.