Moving to Germany from Brunei

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Brunei to Germany — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Brunei to Germany, you would find that Germany is 2.1 times more expensive than Brunei overall. A BND96,844 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly €74,012 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Berlin averages 56°F vs 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Brunei to Germany.

What does your salary buy?

BND96,844 €74,012

To maintain the same standard of living in Germany

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.7 times more

Groceries

pay 3.9% more

Transportation

pay 2.5 times more

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 2.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 54.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BND = 0.6784 EUR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Brunei to Germany, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
7 ↑ 17% vs 2022

people moved from Brunei to Germany · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Germany?

Top countries of origin for Germany's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Brunei and Germany stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BN
0.5
DE
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BN
3.6
DE
3.3

Brunei generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BN
$1,896
DE
$8,826
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BN
19.1
DE
45.2

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BN
20.0
DE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BN
20.2t
DE
6.9t

Germany performs significantly better than Brunei across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BN
20.1
DE
45.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BN
3.5%
DE
35.4%

Brunei generally does better on infrastructure, though Germany leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BN
5.3%
DE
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BN
$77,900
DE
$61,900

Brunei generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BN
78.4 yrs
DE
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BN
10.5
DE
3.2

Germany performs significantly better than Brunei across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division, Brunei, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bandar Seri Begawan Rain: 114.7 in/yr (2913 mm)
89° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bandar Seri Begawan Berlin
Jan–Mar 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) 64°/47°F (18°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) 72°/55°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) 47°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month Bandar Seri Begawan Berlin
Jan 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C)
Feb 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C)
Mar 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C)
May 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C)
Jun 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C)
Aug 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C)
Oct 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C)
Dec 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C)

Data: Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department, Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brunei and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.

Brunei passport

Brunei passport holder visiting Germany

Visa Free
Brunei passport holders can enter Germany without a visa.
Germany passport

Germany passport holder visiting Brunei

Visa Free
Germany passport holders can enter Brunei without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Germany than Brunei?

Day-to-day costs in Germany run about 13% higher than Brunei on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Germany?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a BND96,844 comparable salary, that's around €18,503 in Germany for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Germany?

With 45.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Germany can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Brunei and Germany.

Is Germany safe for expats?

Brunei generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Brunei.

How is healthcare in Germany compared to Brunei?

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 19.1 in Brunei. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).

What's the weather like in Germany compared to Brunei?

The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.

What language do they speak in Germany?

The official language in Germany is German. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.

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At a Glance

BN DE
Population 478,054 84,316,622
Currency Brunei Dollar (BND) Euro (€)
Languages Malay German
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +673 +49
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112