Rural Living in the North

• The poorest people in Bangladesh exceed 5 million in population. According to Unesco.org, most live on chars, islands which vanish quickly with the rising waters of the three major rivers: Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Ganges and the Meghna. Their houses are built of straw or tin that can be easily collapsed to move quickly.
  
  In an area where the life expectancy is 40 years, it is common for families to move their homes 50 times in a lifespan. The char houses are not equipped with water or electricity. These rural people rely upon the same rivers that can destroy them for the everyday necessities of life.
  
  

Rural Living in the South

• The Bandarban is an area almost cut off entirely from the mainland of Bangladesh. The inhabitants are a tribal people of about 300,000 ruled by a king. According to WorldCook.net, the king holds no official power in Bangladesh; however, he is honored by his subjects. Bandarban has a single town that attracts large numbers of tourists.
  
  The villages largely consist of hillside bamboo homes. Unlike the northern rural areas, Bandarban houses are permanent dwellings built on stilts, according to "Himal" magazine. The houses consist of one large general living area with an extended porch. A tree trunk typically is carved with footholds and laced against the house to act as a stairway.
  
  

Suburban Poor

• The majority of the impoverished people of Bangladesh live in slum settlements on the outskirts of major cities. The homes are typically only about 100 square feet and house an average of five people, according to an article published in the "Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition." With very little sanitation, living conditions are difficult at best. Often referred to as Tin Shades, the houses consist of little more than a shelter from the scorching Bangladesh heat. These homes are subject to destruction by monsoons annually.
  
  

Urban Poor

• Poor being a relative term, three-room low-cost apartments within the cities of Bangladesh vary in price from $40 to $70 per month for rent, as of 2010. Running water, gas, sewer and electricity are available in these two-story concrete block buildings. In many cases the apartment is divided up for two families. It is not unusual for an apartment to have two stoves, one for each family. The gas company will charge $8 to $10 per month for an apartment with two stoves as a flat rate and half that for a single stove unit.
  
  

Upper Class

• Bangladesh is a developing nation. Like all developing nations, the populous has a growing number of wealthier people. On the upper end of the scale, houses are being built on a regular basis in the country that are comparable to Western standards. Three-bedroom, two-bath homes with nicely landscaped yards are becoming more visible in some places. As of 2010, these houses cost $80,000 to $200,000 to build with all the amenities people would expect to see in Western civilizations.