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 $1,657 per month in Kuala Belait vs $1,148 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,452 per month in Kuala Belait vs $1,727 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,247 per month in Kuala Belait vs $2,306 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Kuala Belait costs about 44% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kuala Belait sits 24% above the global median, while Bandar Seri Begawan is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 BND 4.74

$3.75 BND 4.84

-2.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.09 BND 59.5

$27.73 BND 35.82

66.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 BND 10.19

$6.24 BND 8.06

26.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 BND 2.48

$1.99 BND 2.57

-3.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BND 3.00

$2.28 BND 2.94

1.75%

Cappuccino

$4.62 BND 5.97

$3.81 BND 4.93

21.26%

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

$0.97 BND 1.25

$1.00 BND 1.29

-3.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 BND 0.79

$0.58 BND 0.74

5.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$1.92 BND 2.49

31.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$1.79 BND 2.31

41.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 BND 2.95

$1.23 BND 1.59

85.37%

Eggs

$2.58 BND 3.33

$2.20 BND 2.84

17.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 BND 24.74

$7.47 BND 9.65

156.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 BND 12.62

$4.53 BND 5.85

115.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.73 BND 31.94

$11.09 BND 14.33

122.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 BND 5.82

$3.28 BND 4.24

37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$2.55 BND 3.29

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 BND 4.12

$3.20 BND 4.14

-0.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 BND 3.59

$2.85 BND 3.68

-2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 BND 2.13

$1.70 BND 2.19

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.88

$2.16 BND 2.79

3.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.55 BND 7.17

$3.57 BND 4.61

55.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BND 0.98

$0.83 BND 1.07

-8.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.44 BND 14.78

$12.67 BND 16.36

-9.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.98 BND 7.73

$3.35 BND 4.33

78.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 BND 2.06

$1.58 BND 2.04

0.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 BND 10.34

$15.63 BND 20.19

-48.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 BND 0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 BND 6.10

$4.82 BND 6.23

-2.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 BND 3.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.62 BND 15.01

$11.49 BND 14.85

1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BND 0.46

$0.38 BND 0.49

-5.26%

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

$22.9K BND 29.6K

$39.3K BND 50.8K

-41.74%

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

$27.1K BND 35.0K

$36.6K BND 47.3K

-26.00%

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

$38.63 BND 49.89

$60.4 BND 78.0

-36.05%

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

$21.89 BND 28.27

$22.12 BND 28.57

-1.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 BND 83.2

$64.2 BND 82.9

0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.6 BND 126

$37.32 BND 48.20

161.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.79 BND 28.14

$2.84 BND 3.67

667.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 BND 7.20

$5.56 BND 7.19

0.18%

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

$155 BND 201

$161 BND 208

-3.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,500 BND 12.3K

$9,584 BND 12.4K

-0.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 BND 127

$97.0 BND 125

1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$103 BND 133

$69.0 BND 89.2

49.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 BND 157

$108 BND 139

12.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 BND 82.1

$64.1 BND 82.8

-0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 BND 958

$739 BND 954

0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 BND 1,026

$458 BND 592

73.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 BND 1,521

$1,324 BND 1,710

-11.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 BND 1,508

$812 BND 1,049

43.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,009 BND 3,887

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,268 BND 2,929

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,320 BND 4,288

$1,954 BND 2,524

69.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

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

Last update for Kuala Belait: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $742 in Kuala Belait versus $739 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 70% 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 $46.00 in Kuala Belait versus $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $222 – 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 44%, 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 $2,486 per month in Kuala Belait and $1,722 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 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.

Groceries cost about 61% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Kuala Belait at $1,657. 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.