Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunei and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunei and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $815 per month in Brunei vs $2,185 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,271 per month in Brunei vs $3,220 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,727 per month in Brunei vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Brunei is roughly 63% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Brunei sits 39% below the global median, while Australia is 64% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Brunei ($3.00–$1,657) than in Australia ($1,575–$2,824), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 BND 6.92

$16.19 A$23.17

-66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.64 BND 43.44

$77.1 A$110

-56.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 BND 8.24

$9.47 A$13.56

-32.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$4.01 BND 5.17

$3.46 A$4.95

15.90%

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

$1.10 BND 1.43

$2.68 A$3.84

-58.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 BND 0.99

$2.19 A$3.13

-65.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 A$9.46

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.17

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 BND 3.08

$1.55 A$2.22

54.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 BND 2.55

$2.47 A$3.54

-19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 BND 2.73

$2.10 A$3.00

0.95%

Eggs

$2.36 BND 3.05

$4.24 A$6.07

-44.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.51 BND 20.03

$8.57 A$12.27

80.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 BND 9.59

$8.60 A$12.31

-13.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 BND 23.75

$13.81 A$19.78

33.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 BND 4.94

$3.17 A$4.55

20.82%

Banana (1kg)

$3.26 BND 4.21

$2.72 A$3.89

19.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 BND 4.89

$2.96 A$4.24

28.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 BND 4.80

$4.31 A$6.17

-13.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 BND 2.92

$2.47 A$3.53

-8.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 BND 3.28

$2.10 A$3.00

20.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.78 BND 6.17

$2.19 A$3.14

118.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BND 1.29

$1.53 A$2.19

-34.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.68 BND 15.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.30 BND 6.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 BND 1.75

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 BND 15.03

$31.29 A$44.80

-62.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.94 A$19.96

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 A$7.17

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 BND 0.98

$3.00 A$4.30

-74.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 A$137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 BND 6.02

$3.56 A$5.10

30.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 BND 3.38

$1.75 A$2.50

49.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.68 BND 15.07

$37.88 A$54.2

-69.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BND 0.49

$1.15 A$1.65

-66.96%

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

$23.5K BND 30.4K

$29.4K A$42.0K

-19.81%

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

$31.0K BND 40.1K

$23.1K A$33.0K

34.42%

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

$53.8 BND 69.5

$174 A$248

-68.98%

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

$22.51 BND 29.06

$26.88 A$38.49

-16.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.8 BND 120

$52.7 A$75.5

75.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.14 BND 57.0

$47.69 A$68.3

-7.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 BND 7.70

$16.51 A$23.64

-63.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 BND 7.00

$13.73 A$19.66

-60.52%

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

$172 BND 222

$1,555 A$2,226

-88.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BND 13.9K

$12.7K A$18.1K

-14.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.8 BND 108

$69.6 A$99.6

20.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.6 BND 83.3

$51.2 A$73.4

26.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 BND 132

$102 A$145

0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 BND 120

$112 A$161

-17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$777 BND 1,004

$1,359 A$1,946

-42.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 BND 663

$1,080 A$1,546

-52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 BND 1,684

$2,300 A$3,294

-43.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 BND 1,104

$1,751 A$2,507

-51.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,072 BND 3,966

$7,618 A$10.9K

-59.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,273 BND 2,935

$5,762 A$8,249

-60.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,254 BND 2,910

$4,023 A$5,760

-43.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.05

6.35

-36.22%

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

Last update for Brunei: July 11, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $296 in Brunei vs $1,231 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $739 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,549 in Canberra.

Average salary: $2,249 in Brunei vs $3,775 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 316% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 208% more in Australia.

Salaries are 68% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Brunei.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Brunei vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brunei is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 165% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brunei, contributing to the overall 165% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brunei, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Brunei is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.