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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,347 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan costs about 13% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bandar Seri Begawan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 BND 4.86

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-36.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.46 BND 35.22

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-16.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 BND 7.68

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-15.51%

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

$1.71 COP 6,105

118.13%

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

$0.97 BND 1.24

$1.10 COP 3,918

-11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 BND 0.72

$0.78 COP 2,776

-28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 BND 2.42

$1.09 COP 3,899

73.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 BND 2.18

$1.26 COP 4,500

34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 BND 1.66

$1.38 COP 4,914

-6.52%

Eggs

$2.23 BND 2.86

$2.19 COP 7,813

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 BND 9.21

$4.40 COP 15.7K

63.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 BND 5.78

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-20.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 BND 14.44

$8.89 COP 31.7K

26.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 BND 4.08

$2.34 COP 8,334

35.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 BND 3.41

$1.06 COP 3,771

150.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 BND 4.04

$1.50 COP 5,365

110.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 BND 3.69

$1.38 COP 4,915

107.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 BND 2.10

$1.15 COP 4,104

42.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 BND 2.76

$1.16 COP 4,148

85.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.51 BND 4.50

$0.89 COP 3,176

294.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BND 0.97

$0.84 COP 2,992

-10.71%

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

$2.28 COP 8,131

583.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 BND 0.97

$0.86 COP 3,051

-11.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 BND 5.84

$1.47 COP 5,255

209.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 BND 3.42

$1.96 COP 6,997

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.82 BND 15.17

$7.74 COP 27.6K

52.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BND 0.52

$0.95 COP 3,403

-56.84%

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

$39.2K BND 50.3K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

116.27%

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

$36.2K BND 46.5K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

36.83%

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

$61.0 BND 78.2

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-25.87%

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

$22.79 BND 29.23

$9.50 COP 33.9K

139.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 BND 83.9

$24.23 COP 86.4K

169.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.66 BND 48.31

$25.89 COP 92.3K

45.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.85 BND 3.65

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-85.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 BND 6.81

$3.93 COP 14.0K

35.11%

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

$157 BND 201

$309 COP 1.1M

-49.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,544 BND 12.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

60.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 BND 121

$58.7 COP 209.1K

60.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 BND 88.5

$32.35 COP 115.3K

113.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BND 138

$103 COP 365.7K

4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.7 BND 83.0

$108 COP 386.5K

-40.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 BND 933

$476 COP 1.7M

52.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 BND 595

$379 COP 1.4M

22.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 BND 1,697

$838 COP 3.0M

57.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 BND 1,061

$724 COP 2.6M

14.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,105 BND 3,983

$2,791 COP 9.9M

11.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 BND 3,002

$1,211 COP 4.3M

93.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,937 BND 2,485

$512 COP 1.8M

278.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

13.43

-69.77%

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 Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $476 in Medellin. 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 279% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bandar Seri Begawan is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Bandar Seri Begawan, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Bandar Seri Begawan at $1,148. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bandar Seri Begawan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. 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.