Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Kuala Belait Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Kuala Belait

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,642 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,431 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,347 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $3,220 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan is about 30% cheaper than Kuala Belait, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bandar Seri Begawan sits 14% below the global median, while Kuala Belait is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 BND 4.84

$3.62 BND 4.63

4.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.46 BND 35.14

$46.89 BND 60.0

-41.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 BND 7.67

$7.69 BND 9.84

-22.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 BND 2.44

$1.99 BND 2.55

-4.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BND 3.06

$2.30 BND 2.95

3.91%

Cappuccino

$3.73 BND 4.77

$4.51 BND 5.77

-17.29%

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

$0.97 BND 1.24

$0.97 BND 1.23

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 BND 0.72

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 BND 2.41

$2.45 BND 3.14

-22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 BND 2.18

$2.49 BND 3.19

-31.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 BND 1.65

$2.29 BND 2.93

-43.67%

Eggs

$2.23 BND 2.85

$2.60 BND 3.33

-14.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 BND 9.18

$18.55 BND 23.73

-61.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 BND 5.76

$9.84 BND 12.59

-54.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 BND 14.41

$25.05 BND 32.05

-55.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 BND 4.07

$4.68 BND 5.99

-32.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 BND 3.40

$2.63 BND 3.37

1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 BND 4.03

$3.10 BND 3.97

1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 BND 3.68

$2.80 BND 3.58

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 BND 2.10

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 BND 2.75

$2.21 BND 2.83

-2.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.51 BND 4.49

$5.49 BND 7.03

-36.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BND 0.97

$0.81 BND 1.04

-7.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$13.09 BND 16.75

$11.53 BND 14.76

13.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 BND 4.30

$5.91 BND 7.57

-43.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BND 1.95

$1.55 BND 1.98

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.59 BND 19.95

$7.62 BND 9.75

104.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 BND 0.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 BND 5.83

$4.56 BND 5.83

-0.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 BND 3.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.82 BND 15.13

$11.88 BND 15.21

-0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BND 0.52

$0.35 BND 0.45

17.14%

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

$39.2K BND 50.2K

$23.0K BND 29.4K

70.52%

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

$36.2K BND 46.4K

$26.9K BND 34.4K

34.95%

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

$61.0 BND 78.0

$39.27 BND 50.3

55.26%

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

$22.79 BND 29.16

$21.38 BND 27.36

6.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 BND 83.7

$64.1 BND 82.0

2.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.66 BND 48.20

$96.8 BND 124

-61.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.85 BND 3.64

$21.48 BND 27.48

-86.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 BND 6.79

$5.33 BND 6.83

-0.38%

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

$157 BND 201

0.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,544 BND 12.2K

$9,152 BND 11.7K

4.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 BND 121

$98.8 BND 126

-4.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 BND 88.3

$99.5 BND 127

-30.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BND 137

$125 BND 160

-14.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.7 BND 82.8

$64.8 BND 82.9

-0.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 BND 931

$727 BND 930

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 BND 594

$766 BND 980

-39.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 BND 1,693

$1,167 BND 1,494

13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 BND 1,059

$1,166 BND 1,493

-29.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,105 BND 3,974

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 BND 2,995

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,937 BND 2,479

$3,392 BND 4,341

-42.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

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 Kuala Belait: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $727 in Kuala Belait. 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 75% higher in Kuala Belait, 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 $47.00 in Kuala Belait. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $356 – 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 Kuala Belait: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Belait is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,463 in Kuala Belait. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $47.00 in Kuala Belait. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Kuala Belait, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Kuala Belait at $1,642. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Belait it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Bandar Seri Begawan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Belait makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.