Moving to Brunei from Ireland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Ireland to Brunei? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Ireland to Brunei, you would find that Brunei is 19.3% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €65,577 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly BND72,115 in Brunei to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Malay. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bandar Seri Begawan averages 89°F vs 56°F in Dublin, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Ireland and Brunei.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → BND72,115
To maintain the same standard of living in Brunei
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 62.7% less
Groceries
pay 7.5% more
Transportation
pay 29.7% less
Housing
pay 37.3% less
Childcare
pay 3.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.8% less
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 Brunei compared to Ireland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Ireland generally does better on safety, though Brunei 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
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland 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
Ireland performs 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 Ireland 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
Ireland 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
Ireland generally does better on family life, though Brunei leads in education spending.
Data: The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, 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 | Dublin | Bandar Seri Begawan |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dublin | Bandar Seri Begawan |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) |
| Feb | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) |
| Mar | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) |
| Apr | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) |
| May | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) |
| Jul | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) |
| Aug | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
Data:
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service,
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland and Brunei. To live, work, or study long-term in Brunei, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Brunei's immigration authority.
Ireland passport holder visiting Brunei
Visa Free
Brunei passport holder visiting Ireland
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 Brunei than Ireland?
On average Brunei is about 26% less expensive than Ireland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Brunei?
Budget about BND18,029 for 3 months in Brunei (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Brunei?
Connectivity is usually fine (Brunei: 20.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Brunei offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Brunei safe for expats?
Ireland generally does better on safety, though Brunei leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Brunei is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland.
How is healthcare in Brunei compared to Ireland?
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 19.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Brunei, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. Brunei scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).
What's the weather like in Brunei compared to Ireland?
The average high temperature in Bandar Seri Begawan is 89°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Bandar Seri Begawan receives around 114.7 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.
What language do they speak in Brunei?
The official language in Brunei is Malay. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.