Moving to Saudi Arabia from Brunei
What to Expect
Considering a move from Brunei to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Brunei to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 7.8% more expensive than Brunei overall. A BND96,000 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly SAR303,000 in Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
BND96,000 → SAR303,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 1.5% less
Groceries
pay 31.4% less
Transportation
pay 3.1 times more
Housing
pay 7.4% less
Childcare
pay 32.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.7% 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 Saudi Arabia compared to Brunei.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Brunei performs better than Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Brunei leads in water stress level.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Brunei leads in top income tax 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
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Brunei across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division, Brunei (2016), Department of Zakat and Income Tax (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 | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bandar Seri Begawan | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brunei and Saudi Arabia. To live, work, or study long-term in Saudi Arabia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Saudi Arabia's immigration authority.
Brunei passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa on Arrival
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Brunei
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Saudi Arabia than Brunei?
On average Saudi Arabia is around 8% pricier than Brunei, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Budget about SAR75,750 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (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 Saudi Arabia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Saudi Arabia: 44.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Saudi Arabia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?
Brunei performs better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Brunei.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Brunei?
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 18.9 in Brunei. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Brunei?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Brunei, the official language is Malay.
