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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Barcelona vs $1,168 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,548 per month in Barcelona vs $1,711 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $2,255 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 113% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 80% above the global median, while Bandar Seri Begawan is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$3.92 BND 4.96

369.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$27.23 BND 34.50

154.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$6.33 BND 8.02

121.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BND 2.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BND 3.03

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$3.85 BND 4.88

-19.22%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$0.91 BND 1.16

225.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.51 BND 0.64

282.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.82 BND 2.31

-27.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.75 BND 2.22

20.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.22 BND 1.55

50.00%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.12 BND 2.69

143.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$9.39 BND 11.89

87.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$4.43 BND 5.61

114.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$11.06 BND 14.02

80.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$3.22 BND 4.08

-1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.16 BND 2.73

2.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$3.01 BND 3.81

-13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.63 BND 3.33

8.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.75 BND 2.22

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.13 BND 2.70

-0.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$3.36 BND 4.26

-51.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.81 BND 1.02

8.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.90 BND 30.28

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 BND 4.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$15.88 BND 20.12

-54.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$0.60 BND 0.76

423.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

$0.81 BND 1.02

3140.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$4.03 BND 5.10

-20.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$3.37 BND 4.27

-55.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$11.65 BND 14.75

202.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.39 BND 0.49

348.72%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$43.0K BND 54.5K

-14.81%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$37.0K BND 46.9K

-14.49%

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

$187 €161

$62.9 BND 79.7

197.44%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$20.44 BND 25.90

-26.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$66.1 BND 83.8

-43.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$39.23 BND 49.70

41.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

$7.04 BND 8.92

137.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$5.69 BND 7.21

105.80%

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

$1,011 €871

$219 BND 277

361.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$9,793 BND 12.4K

74.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$76.5 BND 96.9

19.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$96.8 BND 123

-57.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$107 BND 136

3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$73.2 BND 92.8

72.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$744 BND 942

129.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$476 BND 603

173.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$1,157 BND 1,466

123.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$702 BND 890

174.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$3,152 BND 3,993

145.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$2,339 BND 2,963

130.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$1,765 BND 2,236

34.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

3.88

-18.56%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,704 in Barcelona versus $744 in Bandar Seri Begawan. 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 35% higher in Barcelona, 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 $69.0 in Barcelona versus $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $219 – 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

Barcelona vs Bandar Seri Begawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 113%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,724 per month in Barcelona and $1,752 in Bandar Seri Begawan. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,482 in Barcelona and $1,168 in Bandar Seri Begawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3141% less in Bandar Seri Begawan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Barcelona at $2,482. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona 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, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.