Moving to Brunei from Samoa

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Samoa to Brunei, and you’d need to navigate life in Malay.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2018

per 100,000 people per year

WS
6.3
BN
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
BN
3.6

Brunei performs significantly better than Samoa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

WS
$475
BN
$1,896
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.6
BN
18.9

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa 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

WS
34.0
BN
20.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
BN
20.2t

Samoa 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

WS
0.9
BN
21.2
Internet access United Nations SDG Indicators, 2024

share of households with internet

WS
75.3%
BN
96.3%

Brunei performs significantly better than Samoa across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WS
5.0%
BN
5.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$5,873
BN
$32,235

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

WS
71.8 yrs
BN
75.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
12.3
BN
8.6

Samoa generally does better on family life, though Brunei leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021), Ministry of Revenue, Samoa (2016), Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division, Brunei (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Brunei vs Samoa

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Apia Rain: 116.7 in/yr (2965 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Bandar Seri Begawan
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 90°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 89°/74°F (31°/23°C)
View all months
Month Apia Bandar Seri Begawan
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)

Data: Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department

Can you move from Samoa to Brunei?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa 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.

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Brunei

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

Brunei passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Brunei passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Samoa.

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 21.2 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 Samoa and Brunei.

Is Brunei safe for expats?

Brunei performs significantly better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Brunei is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Samoa.

How is healthcare in Brunei compared to Samoa?

Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 18.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Brunei, compared to 5.6 in Samoa. Brunei scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Bandar Seri Begawan is 89°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Bandar Seri Begawan receives around 114.7 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in Brunei?

The official language in Brunei is Malay. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.

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At a Glance

WS BN
Population 219,306 466,330
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) Brunei Dollar (BND)
Languages English, Samoan Malay
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +685 +673
Time zones 1 1