Moving to United Kingdom from Brunei

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Brunei to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 2.5 times more expensive than Brunei overall. A BND96,844 salary in Brunei would need to be roughly £68,705 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°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 United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

BND96,844 £68,705

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.1 times more

Groceries

pay 11.9% less

Transportation

pay 2.4 times more

Housing

pay 2.4 times more

Childcare

pay 5.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 87.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BND = 0.5778 GBP (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 United Kingdom, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
5,326 ↑ 13% vs 2015

people born in Brunei live in United Kingdom · UN DESA

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

BN
0.5
GB
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BN
3.6
GB
2.4

Brunei generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BN
$1,896
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BN
19.1
GB
31.7

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BN
20.0
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BN
20.2t
GB
4.2t

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Brunei across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BN
20.1
GB
41.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BN
3.5%
GB
14.3%

Brunei generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BN
5.3%
GB
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BN
$77,900
GB
$54,100

Brunei generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom 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
GB
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BN
10.5
GB
3.8

United Kingdom 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.

Bandar Seri Begawan Rain: 114.7 in/yr (2913 mm)
89° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bandar Seri Begawan London
Jan–Mar 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Bandar Seri Begawan London
Jan 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Brunei passport

Brunei passport holder visiting United Kingdom

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

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Brunei

Visa Free
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Brunei?

Day-to-day costs in United Kingdom run about 23% higher than Brunei on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a BND96,844 comparable salary, that's around £17,176 in United Kingdom for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

With 41.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Kingdom can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Brunei and United Kingdom.

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

Brunei generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Brunei.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Brunei?

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 19.1 in Brunei. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brunei: 78).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Brunei?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 89°F in Bandar Seri Begawan. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Bandar Seri Begawan gets 114.7 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

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

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At a Glance

BN GB
Population 478,054 67,791,400
Currency Brunei Dollar (BND) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Malay English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +673 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 999