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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,148 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

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

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

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Bandar Seri Begawan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.75 BND 4.84

64.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.73 BND 35.79

17.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.24 BND 8.05

17.63%

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

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.81 BND 4.92

-54.86%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.00 BND 1.29

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.58 BND 0.74

32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.92 BND 2.48

-45.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.79 BND 2.31

-27.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.23 BND 1.59

13.82%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.20 BND 2.84

-1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.47 BND 9.65

-41.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.53 BND 5.85

29.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.09 BND 14.31

-22.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.28 BND 4.24

-30.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.55 BND 3.29

-56.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.20 BND 4.13

-52.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.85 BND 3.67

-52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.70 BND 2.19

-33.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.16 BND 2.79

-47.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$3.57 BND 4.60

-76.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.83 BND 1.07

9.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.67 BND 16.35

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)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$15.63 BND 20.18

-85.03%

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)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.74 BND 0.96

13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.82 BND 6.22

-70.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.64 BND 3.40

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$11.49 BND 14.83

-33.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.38 BND 0.49

160.53%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.3K BND 50.8K

-54.18%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$36.6K BND 47.2K

-27.22%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$60.4 BND 78.0

33.77%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$22.12 BND 28.55

-55.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$64.2 BND 82.9

-62.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$37.32 BND 48.17

-32.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$2.84 BND 3.67

574.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.56 BND 7.18

-28.42%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$161 BND 208

89.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,584 BND 12.4K

-36.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$97.0 BND 125

-40.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$69.0 BND 89.1

-53.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$108 BND 139

-6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$64.1 BND 82.7

68.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$739 BND 953

-35.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$458 BND 591

-17.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,324 BND 1,709

-36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$812 BND 1,048

-10.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,009 BND 3,884

6.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,268 BND 2,927

-39.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,954 BND 2,522

-68.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.06

230.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin 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 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $222 in Bandar Seri Begawan – 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

Medellin vs Bandar Seri Begawan: 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin 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 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 $33.00 in Medellin 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 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.