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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,148 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,748 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,347 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Medellin is about 12% 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 24% lower, Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.79 BND 4.86

58.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$27.46 BND 35.22

19.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.99 BND 7.68

18.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 BND 2.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.73 BND 4.79

-54.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.97 BND 1.24

13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.56 BND 0.72

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.89 BND 2.42

-42.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.70 BND 2.18

-25.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.29 BND 1.66

6.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.23 BND 2.86

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.18 BND 9.21

-38.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.50 BND 5.78

25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$11.26 BND 14.44

-21.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.18 BND 4.08

-26.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.66 BND 3.41

-60.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.15 BND 4.04

-52.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.87 BND 3.69

-51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.64 BND 2.10

-29.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.15 BND 2.76

-46.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$3.51 BND 4.50

-74.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.75 BND 0.97

12.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$13.09 BND 16.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 BND 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BND 1.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$15.59 BND 19.99

-85.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.76 BND 0.97

13.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$4.55 BND 5.84

-67.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.66 BND 3.42

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$11.82 BND 15.17

-34.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.41 BND 0.52

131.71%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.2K BND 50.3K

-53.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$36.2K BND 46.5K

-26.92%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$61.0 BND 78.2

34.90%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$22.79 BND 29.23

-58.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$65.4 BND 83.9

-62.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$37.66 BND 48.31

-31.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$2.85 BND 3.65

566.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.31 BND 6.81

-25.99%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$157 BND 201

97.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$9,544 BND 12.2K

-37.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$94.4 BND 121

-37.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$69.0 BND 88.5

-53.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$107 BND 138

-4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$64.7 BND 83.0

67.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$727 BND 933

-34.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$464 BND 595

-18.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,323 BND 1,697

-36.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$827 BND 1,061

-12.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,105 BND 3,983

-10.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,340 BND 3,002

-48.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,937 BND 2,485

-73.58%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $727 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 279% 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 $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $219 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 13%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,721 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 $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,013, 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.