Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,320 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $3,426 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,306 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $4,532 in Barcelona, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan is about 51% cheaper than Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bandar Seri Begawan sits 14% below the global median, while Barcelona is 74% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.75 BND 4.84
$17.66 €15.45
-78.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.73 BND 35.82
$69.7 €61.0
-60.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.24 BND 8.06
$14.16 €12.39
-55.93%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.99 BND 2.57
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 BND 2.94
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.81 BND 4.93
$2.80 €2.45
36.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 BND 1.29
$2.81 €2.46
-64.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 BND 0.74
$2.06 €1.81
-71.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.60 €4.02
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.69 €4.10
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 BND 2.49
$1.23 €1.08
56.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 BND 2.31
$2.03 €1.78
-11.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.23 BND 1.59
$1.98 €1.73
-37.88%
Eggs
$2.20 BND 2.84
$3.49 €3.05
-36.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.47 BND 9.65
$18.33 €16.04
-59.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.53 BND 5.85
$9.83 €8.60
-53.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.09 BND 14.33
$19.13 €16.73
-42.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 BND 4.24
$2.73 €2.38
20.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.55 BND 3.29
$2.38 €2.09
7.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.20 BND 4.14
$2.08 €1.82
53.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.85 BND 3.68
$2.75 €2.41
3.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 BND 2.19
$1.96 €1.72
-13.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 BND 2.79
$1.79 €1.57
20.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.57 BND 4.61
$1.48 €1.29
141.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 BND 1.07
$0.91 €0.80
-8.79%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$12.67 BND 16.36
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35 BND 4.33
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 BND 2.04
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.63 BND 20.19
$7.13 €6.24
119.21%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.88 €6.89
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.38 €1.21
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.39 €2.09
-
🚌 Getting Around
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.74 BND 0.96
$3.01 €2.63
-75.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$29.35 €25.68
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.82 BND 6.23
$4.36 €3.82
10.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.64 BND 3.40
$2.13 €1.86
23.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.49 BND 14.85
$29.60 €25.90
-61.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.38 BND 0.49
$1.82 €1.59
-79.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.3K BND 50.8K
$37.9K €33.1K
3.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K BND 47.3K
$32.4K €28.3K
12.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.4 BND 78.0
$189 €165
-68.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.12 BND 28.57
$22.29 €19.50
-0.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.2 BND 82.9
$37.16 €32.51
72.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.32 BND 48.20
$58.0 €50.8
-35.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.84 BND 3.67
$20.66 €18.08
-86.25%
Cinema Ticket
$5.56 BND 7.19
$10.87 €9.51
-48.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$161 BND 208
$706 €618
-77.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,584 BND 12.4K
$14.9K €13.0K
-35.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.0 BND 125
$89.4 €78.3
8.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.0 BND 89.2
$36.60 €32.02
88.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 BND 139
$104 €91.0
3.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.1 BND 82.8
$119 €104
-46.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$739 BND 954
$1,579 €1,381
-53.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$458 BND 592
$1,238 €1,083
-62.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,324 BND 1,710
$2,712 €2,373
-51.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$812 BND 1,049
$2,039 €1,784
-60.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,009 BND 3,887
$7,527 €6,585
-60.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,268 BND 2,929
$5,239 €4,584
-56.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bandar Seri Begawan
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,954 BND 2,524
$2,364 €2,068
-17.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.06
3.39
19.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: July 11, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $739 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Barcelona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $70.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $320 – making Bandar Seri Begawan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Bandar Seri Begawan vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barcelona cheaper than Bandar Seri Begawan?
Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 102%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,722 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $3,480 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan or in Barcelona?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $70.0 in Barcelona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Bandar Seri Begawan and in Barcelona?
Groceries cost about 44% more in Barcelona, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bandar Seri Begawan or in Barcelona?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Barcelona at $2,320. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bandar Seri Begawan or Barcelona more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bandar Seri Begawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bandar Seri Begawan or Barcelona?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bandar Seri Begawan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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