Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunei and ItalyCost of Living Comparison Between Brunei and Italy
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $815 in Brunei versus $1,718 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,271 in Brunei versus $2,621 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,727 in Brunei versus $3,524 in Italy.
🌍Living in Brunei costs about 53% less than in Italy on average.
📊Brunei (39% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.
📏Brunei ($3.00–$1,657) and Italy ($1,176–$2,467) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brunei
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.36BND 6.92
$17.58€15.36
-69.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.64BND 43.44
$82.5€72.0
-59.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.38BND 8.24
$11.72€10.24
-45.56%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.99BND 2.57
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38BND 3.07
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.01BND 5.17
$1.92€1.68
108.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10BND 1.43
$2.99€2.61
-63.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76BND 0.99
$1.36€1.19
-44.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.76€5.03
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.22€4.56
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brunei
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.39BND 3.08
$1.69€1.48
41.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.98BND 2.55
$2.33€2.04
-15.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.12BND 2.73
$3.05€2.67
-30.49%
Eggs
$2.36BND 3.05
$3.99€3.49
-40.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.51BND 20.03
$16.68€14.57
-7.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.43BND 9.59
$12.57€10.98
-40.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.40BND 23.75
$20.53€17.94
-10.38%
Apples(1kg)
$3.83BND 4.94
$2.56€2.23
49.61%
Banana(1kg)
$3.26BND 4.21
$2.20€1.93
48.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.79BND 4.89
$2.68€2.34
41.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.72BND 4.80
$3.37€2.95
10.39%
Potato(1kg)
$2.26BND 2.92
$2.04€1.78
10.78%
Onion(1kg)
$2.54BND 3.28
$1.88€1.64
35.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.78BND 6.17
$1.47€1.29
225.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00BND 1.29
$0.54€0.47
85.19%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$11.68BND 15.08
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.30BND 6.84
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35BND 1.75
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.64BND 15.03
$7.00€6.11
66.29%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$7.09€6.19
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.80€1.57
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.51€2.19
-
🚌 Getting Around
Brunei
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.76BND 0.98
$1.96€1.71
-61.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.58€36.33
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.66BND 6.02
$5.80€5.07
-19.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.62BND 3.38
$1.60€1.39
63.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.68BND 15.07
$35.07€30.64
-66.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.38BND 0.49
$2.13€1.86
-82.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5KBND 30.4K
$32.6K€28.5K
-27.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0KBND 40.1K
$33.8K€29.5K
-8.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunei
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$53.8BND 69.5
$225€197
-76.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.51BND 29.06
$13.14€11.48
71.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$92.8BND 120
$31.19€27.25
197.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brunei
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.14BND 57.0
$57.2€49.94
-22.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.96BND 7.70
$25.85€22.58
-76.94%
Cinema Ticket
$5.42BND 7.00
$10.34€9.03
-47.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brunei
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$172BND 222
$564€493
-69.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8KBND 13.9K
$10.3K€9,035
4.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brunei
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.8BND 108
$91.9€80.3
-8.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.6BND 83.3
$40.54€35.42
59.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102BND 132
$98.2€85.8
4.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.6BND 120
$132€115
-29.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brunei
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$777BND 1,004
$855€747
-9.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$513BND 663
$663€580
-22.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,304BND 1,684
$1,522€1,330
-14.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$855BND 1,104
$1,089€951
-21.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,072BND 3,966
$3,747€3,274
-18.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,273BND 2,935
$2,299€2,009
-1.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brunei
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,254BND 2,910
$1,897€1,657
18.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.05
4.41
-8.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brunei: July 11, 2026
Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $296 in Brunei, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $739 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,328 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $2,249 in Brunei, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 151% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 196% more in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 18% 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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Brunei and Italy?
At $830 per month in Brunei and $1,822 in Italy, there's a 119% 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 Brunei: 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 Italy is consistently higher than in Brunei across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Brunei or in Italy?
In Brunei, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Italy 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 Italy?
It depends on what you're after: Brunei wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.