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 $1,168 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,216 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan costs about 23% 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 15% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 BND 4.93

$2.08 ฿69.2

86.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.86 BND 35.40

$19.64 ฿651

41.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 BND 7.81

$5.65 ฿188

8.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 BND 3.09

Cappuccino

$3.84 BND 4.88

$1.81 ฿59.9

112.15%

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

$0.96 BND 1.22

$0.71 ฿23.66

35.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 BND 0.64

$0.32 ฿10.48

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BND 2.39

$1.96 ฿65.0

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 BND 2.24

$1.50 ฿49.83

17.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 BND 1.53

$1.34 ฿44.32

-10.45%

Eggs

$2.06 BND 2.62

$2.26 ฿75.1

-8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 BND 11.86

$16.26 ฿539

-42.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 BND 5.89

$2.95 ฿98.0

57.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 BND 13.86

$9.94 ฿330

9.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 BND 3.92

$2.57 ฿85.3

19.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.83

$1.06 ฿35.04

110.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 BND 3.68

$1.61 ฿53.5

79.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 BND 3.30

$1.52 ฿50.4

70.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 BND 2.13

$1.27 ฿42.14

32.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 BND 2.60

$1.07 ฿35.37

91.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 BND 4.09

$0.72 ฿23.89

345.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BND 1.04

$0.51 ฿16.87

60.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.31 BND 29.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 BND 4.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.65 BND 19.89

$4.19 ฿139

273.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 BND 0.72

$0.93 ฿30.70

-39.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$0.75 BND 0.95

$53.9 ฿1,787

-98.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 BND 4.85

$1.23 ฿40.95

210.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 BND 4.29

$0.58 ฿19.13

482.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.59 BND 14.73

$2.42 ฿80.4

378.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BND 0.49

$1.41 ฿46.84

-73.05%

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

$43.6K BND 55.5K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

103.45%

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

$37.0K BND 47.0K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

35.21%

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

$61.7 BND 78.4

$63.7 ฿2,112

-3.09%

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

$20.53 BND 26.10

$12.85 ฿426

59.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 BND 84.2

$20.22 ฿671

227.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.04 BND 50.9

$38.74 ฿1,285

3.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 BND 9.16

$3.97 ฿132

81.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 BND 7.18

$6.74 ฿223

-16.17%

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

$218 BND 277

$778 ฿25.8K

-71.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,765 BND 12.4K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-33.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 BND 97.6

$54.3 ฿1,801

41.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$94.0 BND 120

$25.45 ฿844

269.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BND 137

$94.3 ฿3,129

13.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 BND 90.9

$73.4 ฿2,436

-2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 BND 904

$490 ฿16.2K

45.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 BND 599

$289 ฿9,596

62.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 BND 1,438

$894 ฿29.6K

26.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 BND 876

$517 ฿17.1K

33.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,074 BND 3,907

$1,955 ฿64.9K

57.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,364 BND 3,004

$1,477 ฿49.0K

60.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 BND 2,296

$602 ฿20.0K

200.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.88

5.57

-30.34%

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

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $712 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $490 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 200% 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 $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $240 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 23%, 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 $1,753 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,421 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,168 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7081% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Bandar Seri Begawan at $1,168. 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.