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 $1,168 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,933 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,865 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,216 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $3,797 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan is about 40% cheaper than Kuala Belait, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bandar Seri Begawan sits 15% below the global median, while Kuala Belait is 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 BND 4.93

$7.65 BND 9.72

-49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.86 BND 35.40

$47.28 BND 60.1

-41.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 BND 7.81

$7.91 BND 10.05

-22.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 BND 2.57

$2.98 BND 3.78

-32.21%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 BND 3.09

$2.41 BND 3.07

0.83%

Cappuccino

$3.84 BND 4.88

$4.64 BND 5.90

-17.24%

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

$0.96 BND 1.22

$1.28 BND 1.63

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 BND 0.64

$0.92 BND 1.17

-45.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BND 2.39

$2.54 BND 3.22

-25.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 BND 2.24

$2.44 BND 3.11

-27.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 BND 1.53

$2.23 BND 2.84

-46.19%

Eggs

$2.06 BND 2.62

$2.71 BND 3.44

-23.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 BND 11.86

$18.98 BND 24.13

-50.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 BND 5.89

$9.60 BND 12.20

-51.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 BND 13.86

$25.17 BND 31.99

-56.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 BND 3.92

$4.65 BND 5.91

-33.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.83

$6.53 BND 8.29

-65.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 BND 3.68

$5.06 BND 6.44

-42.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 BND 3.30

$7.04 BND 8.94

-63.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 BND 2.13

$3.29 BND 4.18

-48.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 BND 2.60

$2.91 BND 3.70

-29.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 BND 4.09

$5.47 BND 6.96

-41.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BND 1.04

$1.27 BND 1.61

-35.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.31 BND 29.62

$11.57 BND 14.71

101.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 BND 4.37

$5.94 BND 7.55

-42.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.65 BND 19.89

$7.78 BND 9.89

101.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 BND 0.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$0.75 BND 0.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 BND 4.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 BND 4.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.59 BND 14.73

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BND 0.49

$0.36 BND 0.45

5.56%

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

$43.6K BND 55.5K

$31.3K BND 39.7K

39.60%

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

$37.0K BND 47.0K

$27.0K BND 34.3K

36.91%

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

$61.7 BND 78.4

$39.36 BND 50.0

56.76%

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

$20.53 BND 26.10

$21.33 BND 27.11

-3.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 BND 84.2

$176 BND 223

-62.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.04 BND 50.9

$100 BND 127

-60.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 BND 9.16

$27.92 BND 35.49

-74.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 BND 7.18

$5.39 BND 6.86

4.82%

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

$218 BND 277

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,765 BND 12.4K

$9,270 BND 11.8K

5.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 BND 97.6

$98.8 BND 126

-22.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$94.0 BND 120

$102 BND 129

-7.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BND 137

$156 BND 199

-31.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 BND 90.9

$176 BND 224

-59.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 BND 904

$754 BND 959

-5.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 BND 599

$776 BND 986

-39.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 BND 1,438

$1,195 BND 1,519

-5.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 BND 876

$1,162 BND 1,477

-40.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,074 BND 3,907

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,364 BND 3,004

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 BND 2,296

$3,423 BND 4,350

-47.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.88

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 Kuala Belait: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $712 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $754 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 89% 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 $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $47.00 in Kuala Belait. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $421 – 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 65%, 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 $1,753 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $2,900 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.

Groceries cost about 92% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Kuala Belait at $1,933. 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.