Moving to Brunei from Kuwait
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kuwait to Brunei? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kuwait to Brunei, you would find that Brunei is 0.7% more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,000 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly BND95,300 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.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kuwait and Brunei.
What does your salary buy?
KWD23,000 → BND95,300
To maintain the same standard of living in Brunei
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 9.6% less
Groceries
pay 71.9% more
Transportation
pay 55.2% less
Housing
pay 1.5% more
Childcare
pay 12.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.6% 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 Kuwait.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Brunei leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Brunei performs significantly better than Kuwait 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
Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though Brunei 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
Kuwait performs better than Brunei across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Kuwait generally does better on family life, though Brunei leads in literacy rate.
Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Kuwait (2016), Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division, Brunei (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 | Kuwait City | Bandar Seri Begawan |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuwait City | Bandar Seri Begawan |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) |
| Feb | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) |
| Apr | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) |
| May | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) |
| Jun | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) |
| Jul | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) |
| Aug | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Department,
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait 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.
Kuwait passport holder visiting Brunei
Visa on Arrival
Brunei passport holder visiting Kuwait
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 Brunei than Kuwait?
Brunei and Kuwait 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 Brunei?
Budget about BND23,825 for 3 months in Brunei (based on a KWD23,000 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: 21.2 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?
Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Brunei leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Brunei is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.
How is healthcare in Brunei compared to Kuwait?
Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 18.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Brunei, compared to 22.7 in Kuwait. Brunei scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).
What's the weather like in Brunei compared to Kuwait?
The average high temperature in Bandar Seri Begawan is 89°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Bandar Seri Begawan receives around 114.7 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.
What language do they speak in Brunei?
The official language in Brunei is Malay. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.
