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 $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,306 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan costs about 11% 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 BND 4.84

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-39.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 BND 35.82

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-14.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 BND 8.06

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-14.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BND 2.94

Cappuccino

$3.81 BND 4.93

$1.72 COP 5,600

121.51%

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

$1.00 BND 1.29

$1.05 COP 3,420

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 BND 0.74

$0.77 COP 2,515

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 BND 2.49

$1.05 COP 3,423

82.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 BND 2.31

$1.30 COP 4,236

37.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 BND 1.59

$1.40 COP 4,544

-12.14%

Eggs

$2.20 BND 2.84

$2.16 COP 7,047

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 BND 9.65

$4.39 COP 14.3K

70.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 BND 5.85

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-22.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 BND 14.33

$8.64 COP 28.1K

28.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 BND 4.24

$2.28 COP 7,426

43.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 BND 3.29

$1.11 COP 3,604

129.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 BND 4.14

$1.53 COP 4,983

109.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 BND 3.68

$1.35 COP 4,410

111.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 BND 2.19

$1.13 COP 3,674

50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 BND 2.79

$1.13 COP 3,692

91.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.57 BND 4.61

$0.85 COP 2,753

320.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BND 1.07

$0.91 COP 2,975

-8.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.67 BND 16.36

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BND 4.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 BND 2.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.63 BND 20.19

$2.34 COP 7,630

567.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 BND 0.96

$0.84 COP 2,728

-11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 BND 6.23

$1.42 COP 4,623

239.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 BND 3.40

$1.92 COP 6,235

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 BND 14.85

$7.66 COP 24.9K

50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BND 0.49

$0.99 COP 3,223

-61.62%

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

$39.3K BND 50.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

118.25%

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

$36.6K BND 47.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

37.40%

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

$60.4 BND 78.0

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-25.24%

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

$22.12 BND 28.57

$9.95 COP 32.4K

122.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 BND 82.9

$24.18 COP 78.7K

165.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.32 BND 48.20

$25.08 COP 81.7K

48.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.84 BND 3.67

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-85.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 BND 7.19

$3.98 COP 13.0K

39.70%

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

$161 BND 208

$305 COP 993.5K

-47.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,584 BND 12.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

58.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 BND 125

$58.1 COP 189.2K

66.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 BND 89.2

$32.20 COP 104.8K

114.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BND 139

$101 COP 327.9K

7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 BND 82.8

$108 COP 350.8K

-40.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 BND 954

$477 COP 1.6M

54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 BND 592

$376 COP 1.2M

21.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 BND 1,710

$845 COP 2.7M

56.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 BND 1,049

$730 COP 2.4M

11.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,009 BND 3,887

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-6.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,268 BND 2,929

$1,372 COP 4.5M

65.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 BND 2,524

$617 COP 2.0M

216.87%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $739 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $477 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 217% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $193 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 11%, 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 $1,722 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,546 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 $28.00 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 15% 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 $1,031, 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.