Moving to Oman from Brunei
What to Expect
Considering a move from Brunei to Oman? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Brunei to Oman, you would find that Oman is 2.4% more expensive than Brunei overall. A BND96,000 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly OMR29,500 in Oman to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Brunei and Oman.
What does your salary buy?
BND96,000 → OMR29,500
To maintain the same standard of living in Oman
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 6.4% more
Groceries
pay 16.9% less
Transportation
pay 2.7 times more
Housing
pay 22.3% less
Childcare
pay 5.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 50.2% 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
The numbers behind daily life in Oman compared to Brunei.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Brunei generally does better on safety, though Oman leads in homicide rate.
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
Oman generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in health coverage index.
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 Oman 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 Oman 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 Oman 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 generally does better on family life, though Oman leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division, Brunei (2016), Ministry of Finance, Oman (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bandar Seri Begawan | Muscat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 100°/82°F (38°/28°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 97°/83°F (36°/28°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 87°/70°F (31°/21°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bandar Seri Begawan | Muscat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) | 77°/62°F (25.1°/16.7°C) |
| Feb | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) | 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.8°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.3°C) |
| Apr | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) | 94°/76°F (34.7°/24.2°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) | 103°/84°F (39.6°/28.7°C) |
| Jun | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) | 104°/87°F (40.0°/30.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) | 100°/86°F (38.0°/30.1°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) | 96°/83°F (35.6°/28.2°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) | 96°/80°F (35.6°/26.8°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 94°/76°F (34.6°/24.2°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) | 87°/69°F (30.3°/20.8°C) |
| Dec | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 80°/65°F (26.8°/18.3°C) |
Data:
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department,
Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brunei and Oman. To live, work, or study long-term in Oman, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Oman's immigration authority.
Brunei passport holder visiting Oman
Visa Free
Oman 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 Oman than Brunei?
Oman 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 Oman?
Budget about OMR7,375 for 3 months in Oman (based on a BND96,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Oman?
Connectivity is usually fine (Oman: 11.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Oman offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Oman safe for expats?
Brunei generally does better on safety, though Oman leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Oman is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Brunei.
How is healthcare in Oman compared to Brunei?
Oman generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in health coverage index. There are 19.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Oman, compared to 18.9 in Brunei. Oman scores 70 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).
What's the weather like in Oman compared to Brunei?
The average high temperature in Muscat is 91°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. Muscat receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.
What language do they speak in Oman?
The official language in Oman is Arabic. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.
