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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,168 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,711 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,255 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Bandar Seri Begawan is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.92 BND 4.96

105.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$27.23 BND 34.50

77.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.33 BND 8.02

48.82%

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

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.85 BND 4.88

-23.64%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.91 BND 1.16

104.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.51 BND 0.64

186.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.82 BND 2.31

-20.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.75 BND 2.22

37.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.22 BND 1.55

39.34%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.12 BND 2.69

36.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.39 BND 11.89

7.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.43 BND 5.61

125.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$11.06 BND 14.02

28.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.22 BND 4.08

23.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.16 BND 2.73

-26.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.01 BND 3.81

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.63 BND 3.33

-12.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.75 BND 2.22

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.13 BND 2.70

-29.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.36 BND 4.26

-64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.81 BND 1.02

58.02%

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)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$15.88 BND 20.12

-75.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.60 BND 0.76

108.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$0.81 BND 1.02

9517.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$4.03 BND 5.10

-67.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.37 BND 4.27

-35.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$11.65 BND 14.75

-28.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.39 BND 0.49

248.72%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$43.0K BND 54.5K

-36.16%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$37.0K BND 46.9K

-1.35%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$62.9 BND 79.7

168.19%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$20.44 BND 25.90

-33.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$66.1 BND 83.8

-57.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$39.23 BND 49.70

16.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$7.04 BND 8.92

144.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.69 BND 7.21

16.87%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$219 BND 277

267.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$9,793 BND 12.4K

-6.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$76.5 BND 96.9

14.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$96.8 BND 123

-38.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$107 BND 136

29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$73.2 BND 92.8

39.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$744 BND 942

44.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$476 BND 603

37.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,157 BND 1,466

66.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$702 BND 890

49.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,152 BND 3,993

30.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,339 BND 2,963

-27.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,765 BND 2,236

-62.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.88

181.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin 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 169% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 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

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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin 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 $1,641 in Medellin 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 9517% 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 Medellin at $1,641. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.