Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bandar Seri Begawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bandar Seri Begawan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,148 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,748 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,347 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 28% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Bandar Seri Begawan is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.79 BND 4.86

247.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$27.46 BND 35.22

96.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.99 BND 7.68

57.26%

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

$3.55 MX$61.5

$3.73 BND 4.79

-4.83%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.97 BND 1.24

67.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.56 BND 0.72

98.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.89 BND 2.42

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.70 BND 2.18

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.29 BND 1.66

48.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.23 BND 2.86

13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.18 BND 9.21

39.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.50 BND 5.78

79.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.26 BND 14.44

3.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$3.18 BND 4.08

-6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$2.66 BND 3.41

-31.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$3.15 BND 4.04

-36.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$2.87 BND 3.69

-29.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.64 BND 2.10

29.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$2.15 BND 2.76

5.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$3.51 BND 4.50

-60.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.75 BND 0.97

50.67%

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)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$15.59 BND 19.99

-72.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.76 BND 0.97

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$4.55 BND 5.84

-69.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$2.66 BND 3.42

-89.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$11.82 BND 15.17

-53.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.41 BND 0.52

217.07%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$39.2K BND 50.3K

-52.34%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$36.2K BND 46.5K

-36.18%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$61.0 BND 78.2

-32.98%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$22.79 BND 29.23

17.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$65.4 BND 83.9

-54.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$37.66 BND 48.31

38.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$2.85 BND 3.65

841.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.31 BND 6.81

18.64%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$157 BND 201

178.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$9,544 BND 12.2K

9.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$94.4 BND 121

-40.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$69.0 BND 88.5

-35.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$107 BND 138

-4.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$64.7 BND 83.0

63.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$727 BND 933

40.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$464 BND 595

35.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$1,323 BND 1,697

61.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$827 BND 1,061

50.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$3,105 BND 3,983

25.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$2,340 BND 3,002

-11.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,937 BND 2,485

-42.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.06

179.31%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City 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 74% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City 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 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 $54.0 in Mexico City 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 32% more in Mexico City, 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 Mexico City at $1,467. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.