Moving to Iceland from Brunei
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Brunei to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Brunei to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 2.6 times more expensive than Brunei overall. A BND96,811 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly ISK18,518,430 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan, making it significantly cooler.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Brunei to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
BND96,811 → ISK18,518,430
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 4.6 times more
Groceries
pay 58.9% more
Transportation
pay 3.1 times more
Housing
pay 2.3 times more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5 times 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Brunei to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Brunei generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iceland 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
Iceland performs significantly better than Brunei across all infrastructure metrics.
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in unemployment rate.
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
Iceland 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bandar Seri Begawan | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bandar Seri Begawan | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brunei and Iceland. To live, work, or study long-term in Iceland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iceland's immigration authority.
Brunei passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland 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 Iceland than Brunei?
No — Iceland is on average about 97% more expensive than Brunei. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK4,629,608 in Iceland on a BND96,811 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Iceland has 38.2 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 Iceland safe for expats?
Brunei generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Brunei.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Brunei?
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 19.1 in Brunei. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Brunei?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.
