Moving to Minnesota from Brunei

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Brunei to Minnesota, you would find that Minnesota is 2.1 times more expensive than Brunei overall. A BND96,815 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly $81,574 in Minnesota to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Saint Paul 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 Minnesota.

What does your salary buy?

BND96,815 $81,574

To maintain the same standard of living in Minnesota

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.2 times more

Groceries

pay 27.9% more

Transportation

pay 28.3% more

Housing

pay 89.0% more

Childcare

pay 4.9 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 66.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BND = 0.7747 USD (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 Minnesota, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
10

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

BN
14.1%
MN
33.9%

Brunei performs better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

BN
98.0%
MN
91.0%

Brunei performs better than Minnesota across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BN
5.3%
MN
4.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

BN
$77,900
MN
$68,478

Brunei generally does better on employment & economy, though Minnesota 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
MN
79.1 yrs

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

Data: The World Factbook

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

Saint Paul Rain: 28.5 in/yr (724 mm)
56° / 38°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bandar Seri Begawan Saint Paul
Jan–Mar 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) 69°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C)
View all months
Month Bandar Seri Begawan Saint Paul
Jan 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C)
Feb 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C)
Mar 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C)
Apr 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C)
May 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C)
Jun 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C)
Aug 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C)
Oct 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C)
Dec 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C)

Data: Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Brunei passport

Brunei passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Brunei passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Brunei

Visa Free
United States 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 Minnesota than Brunei?

Day-to-day costs in Minnesota run about 9% higher than Brunei on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Minnesota?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a BND96,815 comparable salary, that's around $20,394 in Minnesota for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Minnesota?

Working remotely from Minnesota's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Brunei and Minnesota.

How is healthcare in Minnesota compared to Brunei?

Brunei performs better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Saint Paul is 56°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. Saint Paul receives around 28.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.

What language do they speak in Minnesota?

The official language in Minnesota is English. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.

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At a Glance

BN
Population 478,054 5,303,925
Currency Brunei Dollar (BND) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Malay English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +673 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 911