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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Kuala Belait costs about 65% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 BND 9.72

$3.88 BND 4.93

97.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.28 BND 60.1

$27.86 BND 35.40

69.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 BND 10.05

$6.14 BND 7.81

28.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BND 3.78

$2.02 BND 2.57

47.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 BND 3.07

$2.43 BND 3.09

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$4.64 BND 5.90

$3.84 BND 4.88

20.83%

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

$1.28 BND 1.63

$0.96 BND 1.22

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 BND 1.17

$0.50 BND 0.64

84.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 BND 3.22

$1.88 BND 2.39

35.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 BND 3.11

$1.76 BND 2.24

38.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.84

$1.20 BND 1.53

85.83%

Eggs

$2.71 BND 3.44

$2.06 BND 2.62

31.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.98 BND 24.13

$9.33 BND 11.86

103.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 BND 12.20

$4.64 BND 5.89

106.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.17 BND 31.99

$10.90 BND 13.86

130.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 BND 5.91

$3.08 BND 3.92

50.97%

Banana (1kg)

$6.53 BND 8.29

$2.23 BND 2.83

192.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 BND 6.44

$2.89 BND 3.68

75.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.04 BND 8.94

$2.59 BND 3.30

171.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 BND 4.18

$1.68 BND 2.13

95.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 BND 3.70

$2.05 BND 2.60

41.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.47 BND 6.96

$3.21 BND 4.09

70.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 BND 1.61

$0.82 BND 1.04

54.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.57 BND 14.71

$23.31 BND 29.62

-50.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.94 BND 7.55

$3.43 BND 4.37

73.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 BND 9.89

$15.65 BND 19.89

-50.29%

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)

$0.36 BND 0.45

$0.38 BND 0.49

-5.26%

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

$31.3K BND 39.7K

$43.6K BND 55.5K

-28.37%

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

$27.0K BND 34.3K

$37.0K BND 47.0K

-26.96%

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

$39.36 BND 50.0

$61.7 BND 78.4

-36.21%

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

$21.33 BND 27.11

$20.53 BND 26.10

3.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$176 BND 223

$66.2 BND 84.2

165.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$100 BND 127

$40.04 BND 50.9

150.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BND 35.49

$7.20 BND 9.16

287.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 BND 6.86

$5.65 BND 7.18

-4.60%

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

$218 BND 277

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,270 BND 11.8K

$9,765 BND 12.4K

-5.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 BND 126

$76.8 BND 97.6

28.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$102 BND 129

$94.0 BND 120

7.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 BND 199

$108 BND 137

45.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$176 BND 224

$71.5 BND 90.9

146.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 BND 959

$712 BND 904

6.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 BND 986

$471 BND 599

64.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 BND 1,519

$1,131 BND 1,438

5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 BND 1,477

$689 BND 876

68.68%

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)

$3,423 BND 4,350

$1,807 BND 2,296

89.45%

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 Kuala Belait: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Kuala Belait versus $712 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 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 $47.00 in Kuala Belait versus $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 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

Kuala Belait vs Bandar Seri Begawan: 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 $2,900 per month in Kuala Belait and $1,753 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.

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 $47.00 in Kuala Belait and $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. 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.