Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunei and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunei and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $843 in Brunei versus $363 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Brunei versus $575 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,747 in Brunei versus $786 in India.

Living in Brunei is roughly 132% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Brunei 38% lower, India 73% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brunei
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.85 BND 6.18
$2.11 ₹202
129.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.82 BND 48.15
$10.62 ₹1,018
256.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 BND 7.83
$3.62 ₹347
69.89%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 BND 2.43
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 BND 2.98
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.03 BND 5.14
$1.65 ₹159
144.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 BND 1.50
$0.38 ₹36.26
210.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 BND 0.93
$0.14 ₹13.45
421.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.86 ₹179
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.22 ₹309
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brunei
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.34 BND 2.97
$0.68 ₹64.9
244.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 BND 2.43
$0.49 ₹47.24
289.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 BND 2.58
$0.66 ₹63.3
206.06%
Eggs
$2.36 BND 3.01
$0.87 ₹83.5
171.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.91 BND 21.53
$4.76 ₹456
255.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.58 BND 9.64
$2.79 ₹267
171.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.02 BND 22.93
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 BND 5.07
$1.96 ₹188
103.06%
Banana (1kg)
$3.73 BND 4.74
$0.68 ₹65.2
448.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.45 BND 4.39
$0.95 ₹90.8
263.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.15 BND 5.28
$0.50 ₹48.28
730.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 BND 3.12
$0.34 ₹32.34
620.59%
Onion (1kg)
$2.41 BND 3.07
$0.38 ₹36.87
534.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.38 BND 5.57
$0.45 ₹42.87
873.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 BND 1.30
$0.31 ₹29.80
229.03%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$16.02 BND 20.39
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.21 BND 6.63
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 BND 1.43
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.98 BND 15.25
$5.10 ₹488
134.90%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.13 ₹684
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.70 ₹163
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.67 ₹256
-
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.12 ₹491
-
🚌 Getting Around
Brunei
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 BND 0.96
$0.27 ₹26.08
181.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$0.78 BND 0.99
$8.56 ₹820
-90.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.02 BND 5.12
$0.90 ₹86.6
346.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.27 BND 4.16
$0.25 ₹23.68
1208.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.76 BND 14.97
$1.62 ₹155
625.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.38 BND 0.48
$1.07 ₹102
-64.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.5K BND 54.2K
$12.5K ₹1.2M
240.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K BND 37.9K
$19.6K ₹1.9M
51.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunei
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.4 BND 71.8
$37.89 ₹3,632
48.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.89 BND 26.60
$3.61 ₹346
478.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$93.0 BND 118
$6.92 ₹663
1244.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brunei
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.73 BND 63.3
$14.49 ₹1,389
243.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.58 BND 7.10
$7.15 ₹686
-21.96%
Cinema Ticket
$5.56 BND 7.07
$3.15 ₹302
76.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brunei
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$176 BND 224
$57.2 ₹5,481
208.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K BND 14.7K
$1,669 ₹160.0K
591.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brunei
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.2 BND 98.2
$22.52 ₹2,159
242.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$85.3 BND 109
$24.70 ₹2,368
245.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 BND 132
$40.36 ₹3,869
156.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 BND 127
$30.64 ₹2,937
226.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brunei
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$725 BND 923
$146 ₹13.9K
398.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$505 BND 643
$89.2 ₹8,550
466.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,154 BND 1,470
$334 ₹32.0K
245.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$770 BND 980
$214 ₹20.5K
260.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,156 BND 4,018
$1,206 ₹115.6K
161.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,296 BND 2,922
$613 ₹58.8K
274.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brunei
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,223 BND 2,830
$435 ₹41.7K
410.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.88
8.93
-56.55%

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

Last update for Brunei: September 14, 2026

Last update for India: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $293 in Brunei, $119 in India. Capital cities: $716 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $270 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $2,231 in Brunei, $405 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 146% higher in Brunei.

Dining out costs 150% more in Brunei.

Salaries are 451% higher in Brunei, 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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Brunei and India?
At $860 per month in Brunei and $527 in India, there's a 63% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Brunei is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Brunei or in India?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Brunei it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Brunei or to India?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Brunei may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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