Moving to Indonesia from Brunei
What to Expect
Considering a move from Brunei to Indonesia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Brunei to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 37.0% cheaper than Brunei overall. A BND96,837 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly IDR682,765,116 in Indonesia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Indonesian.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Brunei and Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
BND96,837 → IDR682,765,116
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 46.6% less
Groceries
pay 39.7% less
Transportation
pay 0.2% more
Housing
pay 48.1% less
Childcare
pay 42.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.0% less
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
The numbers behind daily life in Indonesia compared to Brunei.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Brunei performs better than Indonesia 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
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei 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
Brunei generally does better on environment, though Indonesia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 performs better than Indonesia 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 Indonesia 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Brunei performs better than Indonesia 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 | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bandar Seri Begawan | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
Data:
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department,
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brunei and Indonesia. To live, work, or study long-term in Indonesia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Indonesia's immigration authority.
Brunei passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa Free
Indonesia 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 Indonesia than Brunei?
On average Indonesia is about 49% less expensive than Brunei, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?
Budget about IDR170,691,279 for 3 months in Indonesia (based on a BND96,837 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Indonesia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Indonesia: 4.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Indonesia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Indonesia safe for expats?
Brunei performs better than Indonesia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Indonesia is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Brunei.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to Brunei?
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 6.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Indonesia, compared to 19.1 in Brunei. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to Brunei?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.
