Moving to Brunei from Kansas

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Kansas to Brunei, you would find that Brunei is 13.1% cheaper than Kansas. A $75,000 salary in Kansas would need to be roughly BND99,661 in Brunei to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Malay. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bandar Seri Begawan averages 89°F vs 66°F in Topeka, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Kansas to Brunei.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 BND99,661

To maintain the same standard of living in Brunei

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 57.5% less

Groceries

pay 0.5% more

Transportation

pay 12.9% more

Housing

pay 32.5% less

Childcare

pay 57.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 15.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 1.29 BND (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 Kansas to Brunei, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
165 ↑ 8% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Brunei · UN DESA

Who's moving to Brunei?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

KS
36.8%
BN
14.1%

Brunei performs significantly better than Kansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

KS
89.5%
BN
98.0%

Brunei performs significantly better than Kansas across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KS
3.4%
BN
5.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

KS
$60,996
BN
$77,900

Kansas generally does better on employment & economy, though Brunei leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

KS
76.4 yrs
BN
78.4 yrs

Brunei performs significantly better than Kansas across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Topeka Rain: 38.9 in/yr (989 mm)
66° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Topeka Bandar Seri Begawan
Jan–Mar 46°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) 90°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/63°F (30°/17°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/32°F (12°/0°C) 89°/74°F (31°/23°C)
View all months
Month Topeka Bandar Seri Begawan
Jan 39°/19°F (4.1°/-7.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C)
Feb 44°/23°F (6.9°/-5.1°C) 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C)
Mar 56°/32°F (13.4°/0.1°C) 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C)
Apr 66°/43°F (19.1°/5.9°C) 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C)
May 75°/53°F (24.1°/11.8°C) 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C)
Jun 84°/63°F (28.9°/17.0°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C)
Jul 90°/68°F (32.2°/19.9°C) 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C)
Aug 89°/65°F (31.6°/18.6°C) 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C)
Sep 80°/55°F (26.7°/13.0°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 67°/44°F (19.6°/6.6°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Nov 54°/32°F (12.3°/0.2°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C)
Dec 41°/21°F (4.9°/-5.9°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Brunei

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Brunei without a visa.
Brunei passport

Brunei passport holder visiting United States

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

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 Brunei than Kansas?

Day-to-day costs in Brunei run about 3% higher than Kansas on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Brunei?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around BND24,915 in Brunei for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Brunei?

Working remotely from Brunei's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Kansas and Brunei.

How is healthcare in Brunei compared to Kansas?

Brunei performs significantly better than Kansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Brunei compared to Kansas?

The average high temperature in Bandar Seri Begawan is 89°F, compared to 66°F in Topeka. Bandar Seri Begawan receives around 114.7 in of rainfall per year, while Topeka gets 38.9 in.

What language do they speak in Brunei?

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

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At a Glance

BN
Population 2,853,118 478,054
Currency United States Dollar ($) Brunei Dollar (BND)
Languages English Malay
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +673
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911