If you lived in Brunei instead of Malta, you would:

Health

be 52.9% less likely to die by suicide

Malta has a suicide rate of 6.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Brunei, it is 3.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

live 7.5 years less

In Malta, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024. In Brunei, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 21.0% more likely to be obese

In Malta, 30.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Brunei, that number is 37.0% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 66.8% less spent on your healthcare

Malta spends $5,706 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Brunei spends $1,896 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 58.2% fewer doctors per person

Malta has 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Brunei has 18.9 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 82.1% more likely to be unemployed

In Malta, 2.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Brunei, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

make 32.7% less money

Malta has a GDP per capita of $47,907 as of 2025, while in Brunei, the GDP per capita is $32,235 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

have 73.1% more children

In Malta, there are approximately 7.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Brunei, there are 13.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 4.5 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Malta, approximately 8.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Brunei, 36.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 83.0% more likely to die during infancy

In Malta, approximately 4.7 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Brunei, on the other hand, 8.6 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 74.8% less on healthcare

Malta spends 8.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Brunei, that number is 2.2% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 18.2% less coastline

Malta has a total of 197 km of coastline. In Brunei, that number is 161 km.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 89.5% more likely to die in a road accident

In Malta, road accidents kill 1.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Brunei, they kill 3.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

live with 95.2% less strain on fresh water

Malta withdraws 73% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Brunei withdraws 3% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

use 2.1 times more electricity

Malta uses 5,013 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Brunei uses 10,674 kWh as of 2023.

View global rankings →

find 52.4% less home broadband

Malta has 44.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Brunei has 21.2 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Environment

emit 6.4 times more CO2

Malta emits 3.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Brunei emits 20.2 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Brunei: At a glance

Brunei is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 5,265 sq km. The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.
Read more

How big is Brunei compared to Malta? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Brunei or Malta. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.