Moving to Brunei from Malawi

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Malawi to Brunei, and you’d need to navigate life in Malay. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bandar Seri Begawan averages 89°F vs 75°F in Lilongwe, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2013

per 100,000 people per year

MW
1.8
BN
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MW
20.2
BN
3.6

Brunei performs significantly better than Malawi across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MW
$125
BN
$1,896
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MW
0.5
BN
19.1

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MW
43.0
BN
20.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MW
0.2t
BN
20.2t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MW
0.1
BN
20.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MW
17.5%
BN
3.5%

Brunei performs significantly better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MW
5.0%
BN
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MW
$1,700
BN
$77,900

Brunei generally does better on employment & economy, though Malawi leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MW
72.4 yrs
BN
78.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MW
33.4
BN
10.5

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

Data: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lilongwe Rain: 50.7 in/yr (1289 mm)
75° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lilongwe Bandar Seri Begawan
Jan–Mar 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 90°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) 89°/74°F (31°/23°C)
View all months
Month Lilongwe Bandar Seri Begawan
Jan 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C)
Feb 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C)
Mar 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C)
Apr 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C)
May 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C)
Jun 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C)
Jul 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C)
Aug 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Nov 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C)
Dec 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)

Data: Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi 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.

Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Brunei

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

Brunei passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Brunei passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Malawi.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Brunei?

With 20.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Brunei can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Malawi and Brunei.

Is Brunei safe for expats?

Brunei performs significantly better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Brunei is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Malawi.

How is healthcare in Brunei compared to Malawi?

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 19.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Brunei, compared to 0.5 in Malawi. Brunei scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).

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

The average high temperature in Bandar Seri Begawan is 89°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Bandar Seri Begawan receives around 114.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.

What language do they speak in Brunei?

The official language in Brunei is Malay. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.

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At a Glance

MW BN
Population 20,794,353 478,054
Currency Malawian Kwacha (MWK) Brunei Dollar (BND)
Languages Chewa, English Malay
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +265 +673
Time zones 1 1