Moving to Costa Rica from Brunei
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Brunei to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Brunei to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 46.1% more expensive than Brunei overall. A BND96,000 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly CRC50,000,000 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Jose averages 77°F vs 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Brunei to Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
BND96,000 → CRC50,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 95.0% more
Groceries
pay 16.4% more
Transportation
pay 4.0 times more
Housing
pay 11.5% more
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.8% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to Costa Rica
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Brunei to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Brunei performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Brunei across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Brunei generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Brunei performs better than Costa Rica across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Brunei leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021), Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division, Brunei (2016), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bandar Seri Begawan | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bandar Seri Begawan | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brunei and Costa Rica. To live, work, or study long-term in Costa Rica, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Costa Rica's immigration authority.
Brunei passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Brunei
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Costa Rica than Brunei?
No — Costa Rica is on average about 46% more expensive than Brunei. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CRC12,500,000 in Costa Rica on a BND96,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Costa Rica has 23.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Costa Rica safe for expats?
Brunei performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Brunei.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Brunei?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 18.9 in Brunei. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Brunei?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.
