Moving to Brunei from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to Brunei — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to Brunei, you would find that Brunei is 23.5% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩100,000,000 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly BND73,400 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 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Brunei cheaper than South Korea?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 13.7% less
Groceries
pay 33.9% less
Transportation
pay 71.1% less
Housing
pay 14.9% more
Childcare
pay 56.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.4% 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.
What salary do you need in Brunei?
What does your salary buy?
₩100,000,000 → BND73,400
To maintain the same standard of living in Brunei
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Brunei
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Korea to Brunei, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and Brunei stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea performs better than Brunei 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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Brunei leads in water stress level.
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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Brunei leads in top income tax rate.
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
South Korea performs better than Brunei across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2019–2021), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016), Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division, Brunei (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Brunei vs South Korea
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seoul | Bandar Seri Begawan |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Bandar Seri Begawan |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department
Can you move from South Korea to Brunei?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Brunei
Visa Free
Brunei passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 South Korea?
Generally yes: Brunei runs about 24% cheaper than South Korea on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 ₩100,000,000 comparable salary, that's around BND18,350 in Brunei for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
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 South Korea and Brunei.
Is Brunei safe for expats?
South Korea 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 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in Brunei compared to South Korea?
South Korea 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 26.1 in South Korea. Brunei scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Brunei compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Bandar Seri Begawan is 89°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Bandar Seri Begawan receives around 114.7 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Brunei?
The official language in Brunei is Malay. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
