Moving to New Zealand from Brunei
What to Expect
Considering a move from Brunei to New Zealand? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Brunei to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 75.9% more expensive than Brunei overall. A BND96,844 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly NZ$131,405 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Brunei and New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
BND96,844 → NZ$131,405
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 2.1% more
Transportation
pay 91.7% more
Housing
pay 39.7% more
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 70.1% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Brunei to New Zealand.
people moved from Brunei to New Zealand · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to New Zealand?
Top countries of origin for New Zealand's foreign-born residents.
- 286,746
- 144,207
- 122,506
- 85,289
- 73,846
- 70,412
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in New Zealand compared to Brunei.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Brunei performs better than New Zealand 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
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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 New Zealand 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 generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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 | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bandar Seri Begawan | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
Data:
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brunei and New Zealand. To live, work, or study long-term in New Zealand, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check New Zealand's immigration authority.
Brunei passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel Authorisation
New Zealand 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 New Zealand than Brunei?
New Zealand and Brunei are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?
Budget about NZ$32,851 for 3 months in New Zealand (based on a BND96,844 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New Zealand?
Connectivity is usually fine (New Zealand: 35.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does New Zealand offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is New Zealand safe for expats?
Brunei performs better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Brunei.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Brunei?
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 19.1 in Brunei. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Brunei?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.
What language do they speak in New Zealand?
The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.
