😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $843 in Brunei versus $454 in Pakistan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Brunei versus $683 in Pakistan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,747 in Brunei versus $912 in Pakistan.
🌍Living in Brunei is roughly 86% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Brunei 38% lower, Pakistan 67% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.85BND 6.18
$2.16PKR 598
124.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.82BND 48.15
$14.02PKR 3,885
169.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.15BND 7.83
$5.27PKR 1,461
16.70%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.91BND 2.43
$2.15PKR 596
-11.16%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34BND 2.98
$4.09PKR 1,134
-42.79%
Cappuccino
$4.03BND 5.14
$1.94PKR 538
107.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18BND 1.50
$0.39PKR 107
202.56%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73BND 0.93
$0.22PKR 60.8
231.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.34BND 2.97
$0.87PKR 242
168.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.91BND 2.43
$0.63PKR 174
203.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.02BND 2.58
$1.17PKR 323
72.65%
Eggs
$2.36BND 3.01
$1.19PKR 329
98.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.91BND 21.53
$5.67PKR 1,571
198.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.58BND 9.64
$2.80PKR 775
170.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.02BND 22.93
$5.02PKR 1,392
258.96%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98BND 5.07
$1.13PKR 314
252.21%
Banana(1kg)
$3.73BND 4.74
$0.68PKR 189
448.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.45BND 4.39
$0.86PKR 238
301.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.15BND 5.28
$0.59PKR 162
603.39%
Potato(1kg)
$2.45BND 3.12
$0.31PKR 87.2
690.32%
Onion(1kg)
$2.41BND 3.07
$0.39PKR 107
517.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.38BND 5.57
$0.37PKR 104
1083.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02BND 1.30
$0.41PKR 112
148.78%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$16.02BND 20.39
$2.02PKR 560
693.07%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.21BND 6.63
$1.13PKR 314
361.06%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12BND 1.43
$2.40PKR 665
-53.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.98BND 15.25
$2.16PKR 598
454.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.76BND 0.96
$0.16PKR 43.45
375.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$0.78BND 0.99
$10.21PKR 2,828
-92.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.02BND 5.12
$0.86PKR 239
367.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.27BND 4.16
$0.57PKR 157
473.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.76BND 14.97
$2.13PKR 589
452.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.38BND 0.48
$1.17PKR 324
-67.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.5KBND 54.2K
$18.4KPKR 5.1M
131.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8KBND 37.9K
$25.2KPKR 7.0M
18.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$56.4BND 71.8
$112PKR 30.9K
-49.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.89BND 26.60
$5.33PKR 1,475
291.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$93.0BND 118
$15.94PKR 4,416
483.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.73BND 63.3
$16.12PKR 4,467
208.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.58BND 7.10
$10.90PKR 3,018
-48.81%
Cinema Ticket
$5.56BND 7.07
$4.29PKR 1,189
29.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$176BND 224
$42.45PKR 11.8K
315.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5KBND 14.7K
$1,378PKR 381.6K
737.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.2BND 98.2
$16.34PKR 4,526
372.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$85.3BND 109
$23.18PKR 6,420
268.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104BND 132
$79.2PKR 21.9K
30.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100BND 127
$34.65PKR 9,599
189.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$725BND 923
$137PKR 37.9K
429.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$505BND 643
$77.4PKR 21.5K
552.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,154BND 1,470
$307PKR 85.1K
275.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$770BND 980
$171PKR 47.3K
350.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,156BND 4,018
$1,022PKR 283.1K
208.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,296BND 2,922
$533PKR 147.7K
330.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,223BND 2,830
$188PKR 52.0K
1085.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.88
13.96
-72.21%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brunei: September 14, 2026
Last update for Pakistan: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $293 in Brunei, $124 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $716 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $278 in Islamabad.
💰National salary averages: $2,231 in Brunei, $182 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 136% higher in Brunei.
⭐Dining out costs 92% more in Brunei.
⭐Salaries are 1126% 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 Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Brunei and Pakistan?
At $860 per month in Brunei and $445 in Pakistan, there's a 93% 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 Pakistan: 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 Pakistan 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 Pakistan?
In Pakistan, $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 Pakistan?
It depends on what you're after: Pakistan wins on affordability; Brunei may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.