Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,347 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bandar Seri Begawan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 BND 4.86

$1.94 ฿63.6

95.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.46 BND 35.22

$18.64 ฿609

47.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 BND 7.68

$7.82 ฿256

-23.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 BND 2.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$3.73 BND 4.79

$1.95 ฿63.9

91.28%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 BND 1.24

$0.85 ฿27.80

14.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 BND 0.72

$0.35 ฿11.60

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 BND 2.42

$1.71 ฿56.0

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 BND 2.18

$1.63 ฿53.3

4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 BND 1.66

$1.14 ฿37.18

13.16%

Eggs

$2.23 BND 2.86

$1.93 ฿63.2

15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 BND 9.21

$16.21 ฿530

-55.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 BND 5.78

$3.12 ฿102

44.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 BND 14.44

$10.90 ฿356

3.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 BND 4.08

$2.75 ฿90.1

15.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 BND 3.41

$1.21 ฿39.56

119.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 BND 4.04

$1.62 ฿53.0

94.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 BND 3.69

$1.59 ฿51.9

80.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 BND 2.10

$1.40 ฿45.75

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 BND 2.76

$1.17 ฿38.20

83.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.51 BND 4.50

$0.66 ฿21.62

431.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BND 0.97

$0.53 ฿17.24

41.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$13.09 BND 16.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 BND 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BND 1.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.59 BND 19.99

$4.69 ฿153

232.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 BND 0.97

$0.90 ฿29.28

-15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 BND 5.84

$1.41 ฿45.96

222.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 BND 3.42

$1.29 ฿42.16

106.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.82 BND 15.17

$7.84 ฿256

50.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BND 0.52

$1.27 ฿41.62

-67.72%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.2K BND 50.3K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

84.29%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.2K BND 46.5K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

63.16%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$61.0 BND 78.2

$69.1 ฿2,258

-11.73%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.79 BND 29.23

$14.08 ฿460

61.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 BND 83.9

$18.00 ฿588

263.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.66 BND 48.31

$41.06 ฿1,342

-8.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.85 BND 3.65

$6.96 ฿227

-59.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 BND 6.81

$5.92 ฿193

-10.30%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$157 BND 201

$299 ฿9,775

-47.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,544 BND 12.2K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-36.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 BND 121

$54.7 ฿1,788

72.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 BND 88.5

$26.77 ฿875

157.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BND 138

$85.0 ฿2,778

26.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.7 BND 83.0

$70.6 ฿2,308

-8.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 BND 933

$428 ฿14.0K

69.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 BND 595

$237 ฿7,759

95.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 BND 1,697

$801 ฿26.2K

65.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 BND 1,061

$515 ฿16.9K

60.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,105 BND 3,983

$1,975 ฿64.5K

57.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 BND 3,002

$1,475 ฿48.2K

58.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,937 BND 2,485

$617 ฿20.2K

213.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

-18.80%

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

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 214% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, 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 $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Bandar Seri Begawan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bandar Seri Begawan is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,721 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Bandar Seri Begawan at $1,148. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bandar Seri Begawan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bandar Seri Begawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.