Moving to Brunei from Macedonia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Macedonia to Brunei — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Macedonia to Brunei, you would find that Brunei is 34.8% more expensive than Macedonia overall. A MKD4,100,000 salary in Macedonia would need to be roughly BND129,000 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 65°F in Skopje, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Brunei cheaper than Macedonia?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 10.6% less

Groceries

pay 92.5% more

Transportation

pay 68.8% less

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 32.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 66.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MKD = 0.0234 BND (October 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.

What salary do you need in Brunei?

What does your salary buy?

MKD4,100,000 → BND129,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Brunei

Calculate with your salary →

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Macedonia to Brunei.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MK
1.5
BN
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MK
5.7
BN
3.6

Brunei performs significantly better than Macedonia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MK
$1,808
BN
$1,896
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MK
29.4
BN
18.9

Macedonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MK
62.0
BN
20.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MK
4.0t
BN
20.2t

Macedonia generally does better on environment, though Brunei leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MK
29.9
BN
21.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MK
52.5%
BN
3.5%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MK
12.3%
BN
5.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MK
$10,490
BN
$32,235

Brunei performs significantly better than Macedonia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

MK
76.6 yrs
BN
75.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MK
2.5
BN
8.6

Macedonia performs better than Brunei across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020–2021), Public Revenue Office (2016), Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division, Brunei (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Brunei vs Macedonia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Skopje Rain: 19.8 in/yr (504 mm)
65° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Skopje Bandar Seri Begawan
Jan–Mar 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) 90°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/35°F (12°/2°C) 89°/74°F (31°/23°C)
View all months
Month Skopje Bandar Seri Begawan
Jan 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C)
Feb 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C) 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C)
Apr 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C) 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C)
May 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C) 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C)
Jun 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C)
Jul 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C) 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C)
Aug 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C) 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C)
Sep 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Nov 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C)
Dec 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)

Data: HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia, Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department

Can you move from Macedonia to Brunei?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Macedonia 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.

Macedonia passport

Macedonia passport holder visiting Brunei

Visa Required
Macedonia passport holders need a visa to enter Brunei.
Brunei passport

Brunei passport holder visiting Macedonia

Visa Free
Brunei passport holders can enter Macedonia 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 Brunei than Macedonia?

No — Brunei is on average about 35% more expensive than Macedonia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Brunei?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly BND32,250 in Brunei on a MKD4,100,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Brunei?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Brunei has 21.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Brunei safe for expats?

Brunei performs significantly better than Macedonia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Brunei is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Macedonia.

How is healthcare in Brunei compared to Macedonia?

Macedonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brunei leads in health coverage index. There are 18.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Brunei, compared to 29.4 in Macedonia. Brunei scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Macedonia: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Bandar Seri Begawan is 89°F, compared to 65°F in Skopje. Bandar Seri Begawan receives around 114.7 in of rainfall per year, while Skopje gets 19.8 in.

What language do they speak in Brunei?

The official language in Brunei is Malay. In Macedonia, the official language is Macedonian.

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At a Glance

MK BN
Population 1,820,909 466,330
Currency Macedonian Denar (MKD) Brunei Dollar (BND)
Languages Macedonian Malay
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +389 +673
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 —