Last update: Oct 2026 458.9K

Cost of Living in Brunei

Name: Brunei
Address: BN

Across Brunei, living costs for one person average $1,379 a month, including rent and utilities, which take more than a third of the total. Other living expenses average about $27 a day.

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🇧🇳 Brunei

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brunei

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brunei actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Average monthly costs for a single person come to about $1,379 including rent across Brunei.

$1,379 /mo

Estimated average monthly cost for a couple: $2,067 including rent across Brunei.

$2,067 /mo

Average monthly costs for a family of three come to about $2,755 including rent across Brunei.

$2,755 /mo

Living costs in Brunei vary widely – from $567 in the most affordable city to $1,726 in the most expensive one, spanning a $1,159 range across 5 cities.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 BND 6.16

$3.03 BND 3.87

$9.11 BND 11.64

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.32 BND 47.68

$23.58 BND 30.12

$47.15 BND 60.2

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 BND 8.17

$6.31 BND 8.07

$9.59 BND 12.25

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 BND 2.55

$1.60 BND 2.04

$4.00 BND 5.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BND 2.91

$1.90 BND 2.43

$3.80 BND 4.85

Cappuccino

$3.92 BND 5.01

$3.11 BND 3.97

$4.92 BND 6.29

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 BND 1.50

$0.80 BND 1.02

$2.00 BND 2.56

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 BND 0.92

$0.37 BND 0.48

$1.12 BND 1.43

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 BND 2.95

$1.76 BND 2.25

$3.99 BND 5.10

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 BND 2.44

$1.54 BND 1.97

$3.71 BND 4.74

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 BND 2.58

$0.97 BND 1.24

$3.71 BND 4.74

Eggs

$2.28 BND 2.91

$1.70 BND 2.17

$3.24 BND 4.13

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.87 BND 21.55

$7.87 BND 10.05

$34.70 BND 44.33

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 BND 9.60

$3.17 BND 4.05

$11.91 BND 15.21

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 BND 22.51

$9.33 BND 11.92

$30.95 BND 39.53

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 BND 5.08

$1.59 BND 2.03

$6.69 BND 8.54

Banana (1kg)

$3.66 BND 4.68

$1.53 BND 1.96

$7.67 BND 9.80

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 BND 4.50

$1.57 BND 2.00

$7.85 BND 10.03

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 BND 5.32

$1.60 BND 2.05

$6.66 BND 8.51

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 BND 3.19

$0.80 BND 1.02

$3.18 BND 4.06

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 BND 3.05

$0.80 BND 1.02

$3.18 BND 4.07

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.50 BND 5.75

$2.38 BND 3.04

$8.58 BND 10.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BND 1.28

$0.46 BND 0.58

$1.52 BND 1.94

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.85 BND 20.25

$7.93 BND 10.13

$23.78 BND 30.38

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.18 BND 6.62

$2.72 BND 3.47

$7.78 BND 9.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 BND 1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 BND 15.03

$7.84 BND 10.02

$15.68 BND 20.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 BND 0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.09 BND 30.77

$0.79 BND 1.01

$47.39 BND 60.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 BND 5.07

$2.38 BND 3.04

$4.78 BND 6.10

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 BND 4.19

$2.70 BND 3.45

$3.86 BND 4.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.77 BND 15.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 BND 0.47

$0.29 BND 0.36

$0.39 BND 0.50

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$42.4K BND 54.1K

$38.5K BND 49.2K

$46.2K BND 59.0K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.2K BND 38.6K

$31.8K BND 40.6K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$56.9 BND 72.7

$39.08 BND 49.93

$99.7 BND 127

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.37 BND 27.30

$14.24 BND 18.19

$31.67 BND 40.45

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.3 BND 118

$47.58 BND 60.8

$190 BND 242

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.74 BND 63.5

$23.16 BND 29.59

$92.6 BND 118

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.51 BND 7.03

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 BND 7.08

$3.95 BND 5.05

$6.34 BND 8.09

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$181 BND 231

$119 BND 152

$397 BND 507

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K BND 14.7K

$5,380 BND 6,873

$18.9K BND 24.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.4 BND 97.6

$15.55 BND 19.86

$140 BND 179

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.4 BND 108

$27.55 BND 35.20

$157 BND 201

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 BND 142

$69.3 BND 88.6

$193 BND 246

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 BND 126

$46.07 BND 58.9

$154 BND 196

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 BND 931

$508 BND 649

$938 BND 1,199

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 BND 641

$389 BND 497

$778 BND 994

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 BND 1,497

$952 BND 1,217

$1,428 BND 1,825

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 BND 1,002

$634 BND 810

$1,188 BND 1,518

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,082 BND 3,937

$2,062 BND 2,634

$6,140 BND 7,844

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,263 BND 2,891

$893 BND 1,141

$4,456 BND 5,693

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,217 BND 2,832

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.88

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Brunei $1,379

Accommodation & Living

$502 36.4%

Groceries & Markets

$319 23.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

$171 12.4%

Clothing & Footwear

$167 12.1%

Eating Out

$112 8.2%

Sport & Entertainment

$61 4.4%

Getting Around

$47 3.4%

Cost Breakdown

National average salary: $2,209. With average costs at $1,379, the salary-to-cost ratio is favorable for most workers.

Expect to spend about $249 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant averages $32 for two.

In Bandar Seri Begawan (capital), expect about $1,215 per month, while Seria offers the lowest costs at $567 – which city you pick has a tangible effect on the budget.

Cost Highlights

Dinner for two at a restaurant ($32) is 33% below the global median of $48.

Public transport ($23) is 30% below the global median of $33.

Good to know

🕒 Local time

15:48 3:48 PM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

458,949

💱 Currency

Brunei Dollar BND $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BND = 0.783 USD

1 BND = 0.701 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

By City in Brunei

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Bandar Seri Begawan	50000	58	$673	$1,215	$1,554	$2,296	68.13	107.63
2	Bangar	3970					$314	25.78	78.76
3	Jerudong	11000	35	$665	$726	$1,506	$1,567	76.3	105.34
4	Kuala Belait	31178	83	$897	$1,726	$2,189	$3,397	163.73	113.64
5	Seria	30097	27	$506	$567	$1,184	$1,246	236.97	78.96

Brunei Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Brunei - Frequently Asked Questions

Brunei offers a practical balance of reliable services, safety, and comfortable living that appeals to travelers, expats, and digital nomads seeking stability. You may find local essentials and daily services affordable when you shop at markets or choose modest accommodations, while imported goods or premium brands can push costs higher. Cost of Living in Brunei is shaped by subsidies and modern amenities, which can make longer stays worthwhile if you align housing and transport with local options. Neighborhoods with strong expat networks and good transit often deliver the smoothest day-to-day rhythm. Tip: start your housing search near transit hubs and community facilities to maximize value.

Brunei living cost can vary by area, but the urban core tends to be predictable and convenient for daily routines. Housing search favors longer leases in modern flats or serviced apartments, with utilities often included or clearly outlined in the contract. Food options range from busy local markets to international eateries; groceries suit those who enjoy fresh produce and staple items. Transport is practical in the city, with taxis, ride-sharing, and some bus routes that keep errands manageable. Co-working spaces cluster near business districts, offering day passes or short-term memberships. Tip: map your commonly used errands and transit routes to minimize back-and-forth during busy days.

Quality of life in Brunei blends reliable public services, green spaces, and a calm pace that suits many long stays. Build a simple budgeting framework: secure stable housing first, then estimate groceries and utilities, and leave room for transport and occasional leisure. Neighborhood fit matters; look for areas with walkable streets, parks, and quick access to shops, cafes, or coworking hubs. Seasonality affects outdoor plans more than prices, so plan activities around heat, rain, and long daylight months. Practical tips: join local expat groups to learn shortcuts, test a few neighborhoods on weekend strolls, and keep a short list of preferred routes. Tip: try a short-term stay in several areas before committing to a long lease.

Brunei covers a wide cost spectrum. As of 2026, monthly expenses run from about $567 in budget-friendly smaller cities to $1,726 in the priciest areas. The gap is big enough to meaningfully affect lifestyle for anyone on a fixed income.

As of 2026, living expenses in Brunei span $567 to $1,726 monthly. Which city you choose has a big effect on your budget.

$1,500 a month goes far in Brunei, especially outside the big cities. It’s a realistic single-person budget that covers housing, food, transport, and leisure comfortably.