Moving to Brunei from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Brunei — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Brunei, you would find that Brunei is 24.3% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly BND70,103 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 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Brunei.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → BND70,103
To maintain the same standard of living in Brunei
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 63.4% less
Groceries
pay 12.7% less
Transportation
pay 4.8% less
Housing
pay 46.3% less
Childcare
pay 67.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.2% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Brunei, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States 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
Brunei performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics.
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
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States 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
United States 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
Brunei generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in unemployment 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
United States performs better than Brunei across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Bandar Seri Begawan |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 90°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Bandar Seri Begawan |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.3°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.3°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.5°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 90°/75°F (32.5°/23.7°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 91°/75°F (32.6°/23.7°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.4°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 90°/73°F (32.3°/23.0°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Brunei
Visa Free
Brunei passport holder visiting United States
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 United States?
Generally yes: Brunei runs about 28% cheaper than United States 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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around BND17,526 in Brunei for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
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 United States and Brunei.
Is Brunei safe for expats?
Brunei performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Brunei is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Brunei compared to United States?
Brunei generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 19.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Brunei, compared to 36.1 in United States. Brunei scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Brunei compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Bandar Seri Begawan is 89°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Bandar Seri Begawan receives around 114.7 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Brunei?
The official language in Brunei is Malay. In United States, the official language is English.
