Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Bandar Seri Begawan vs Semarang

Bandar Seri Begawan vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 42% cheaper Bandar Seri Begawan +45 Mbps High / Moderate

Bandar Seri Begawan

Merah Lee/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,418

Bandar Seri Begawan

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

High

Bandar Seri Begawan

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Bandar Seri Begawan

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

Low

Bandar Seri Begawan

Moderate

Semarang

Population

27.3k

Bandar Seri Begawan

1.6m

Semarang

Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) and Semarang (Indonesia) are both in Asia, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Semarang is the clear budget winner at $825/mo — 42% cheaper than Bandar Seri Begawan's $1418/mo, a saving of $7116 per year.

For families, Bandar Seri Begawan costs $2171.860923423424/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Bandar Seri Begawan leads on internet connectivity at 77 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Bandar Seri Begawan has a stronger safety profile than Semarang, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Semarang offers better healthcare infrastructure than Bandar Seri Begawan — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Bandar Seri Begawan is September (around 38 degrees, 2mm rain, score 405), while Semarang peaks in July (35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 397). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

Bandar Seri BegawanSemarang

Nomad$1,418/mo$825/mo

Expat$885/mo$603/mo

Local$621/mo$459/mo

Family$2,172/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

Bandar Seri BegawanSemarang

City Speed

77 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed77 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

Bandar Seri BegawanSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateModerate

ClimateModerateModerate

Humidity8388

Quality of Life

Bandar Seri BegawanSemarang

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareLowModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Bandar Seri Begawan

Semarang

Jan

37°

5mm254

34°

8mm237

Feb

37°

4mm351

35°

5mm222

Mar

39°

4mm341

36°

6mm253

Apr

41°

10mm250

37°

5mm319

May

40°

21mm193

37°

1mm373

Jun

37°

6mm341

36°

1mm368

Jul

37°

3mm362

35°

0mm397

Aug

37°

12mm254

36°

0mm397

Sep

38°

2mm405

36°

0mm397

Oct

37°

6mm270

37°

0mm382

Nov

38°

8mm336

36°

7mm319

Dec

37°

6mm254

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Bandar Seri Begawan?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1418
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2171.860923423424/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 27.3k residents
Peak season in September — 38 degrees, score 405

Who Should Choose Semarang?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $825
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1605.588646314858/mo for families
Peak season in July — 35 degrees, score 397

Overall Verdict

Overall, Bandar Seri Begawan edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1418/mo it runs 42% cheaper than Semarang's $825/mo, with 77 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Bandar Seri Begawan Semarang

ItemBandar Seri BegawanSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2.96$1.3

56%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$29.47$9.72

67%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.03$3.24

36%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.49$1.34

62%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$4.07$2.48

39%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.59$2.59

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.74$0.42

43%

Water (0.33L)$0.62$0.2

68%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.44$1.13

22%

White bread (500g)$1.65$0.97

41%

White rice (1kg)$1.28$0.81

37%

Eggs (12)$2.15$1.29

40%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$5.29$2.96

44%

Beef round (1kg)$15.08$7.24

52%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.42$6.15

12%

Apples (1kg)$3.42$2.3

33%

Bananas (1kg)$2.22$1.3

41%

Oranges (1kg)$3.7$1.15

69%

Tomatoes (1kg)$3.62$0.86

76%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.63$1.15

29%

Onions (1kg)$1.99$1.38

31%

Lettuce (1 head)$3.76$0.55

85%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.92$0.36

61%

Wine, mid-range bottle$1.85$12.15

85%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$3.92$2.03

48%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.22$2.98

26%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$8.13$1.94

76%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1.11$0.23

79%

Monthly transport pass$22.18$18.18

18%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3.33$0.58

83%

Taxi per 1km$2.96$0.32

89%

Taxi 1hr waiting$22.18$2.11

90%

Gasoline (1L)$0.39$0.79

51%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$22,184.71$23,334.86

Toyota Corolla (new)$20,958.45$27,914.38

25%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$55.74$40.19

28%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$80.9$28.38

65%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.2$0.1

50%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$40.64$29.17

28%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$3.7$12.15

70%

Cinema, 1 ticket$4.81$3.24

33%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$213.99$75.62

65%

International primary school/yr$11,912.43$6,009.65

50%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$69.83$32.39

54%

Summer dress (chain store)$29.54$22.69

23%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$85.24$64.82

24%

Men's leather business shoes$68.18$37.81

45%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$677.17$259.28

62%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$372.21$194.46

48%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,242.34$680.6

45%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,133.88$550.96

51%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,848.73$1,215.36

34%

Price per m², outside centre$1,183.18$378.11

68%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$1,748.71$269

85%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$4.24$8.69

51%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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