😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $808 in Brunei versus $392 in Pakistan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,272 in Brunei versus $591 in Pakistan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,735 in Brunei versus $790 in Pakistan.
😐Living in Brunei is roughly 106% more expensive than Pakistan on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Brunei40% lower, Pakistan71% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Brunei: monthly costs span $3.00 to $1,642, compared to $287–$529 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Brunei.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.26BND 6.75
$1.82PKR 506
189.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.55BND 41.75
$12.25PKR 3,408
165.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.42BND 8.23
$4.27PKR 1,188
50.35%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.92BND 2.46
$1.80PKR 500
6.67%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28BND 2.93
$4.08PKR 1,136
-44.12%
Cappuccino
$4.00BND 5.13
$1.77PKR 493
125.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15BND 1.47
$0.34PKR 93.3
238.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76BND 0.98
$0.23PKR 64.2
230.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.32BND 2.98
$0.77PKR 214
201.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.92BND 2.47
$0.56PKR 155
242.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.09BND 2.68
$1.22PKR 340
71.31%
Eggs
$2.44BND 3.13
$1.21PKR 337
101.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.47BND 19.84
$5.68PKR 1,579
172.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.45BND 9.55
$3.00PKR 835
148.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.24BND 23.40
$4.29PKR 1,193
325.17%
Apples(1kg)
$3.83BND 4.91
$1.02PKR 284
275.49%
Banana(1kg)
$3.26BND 4.18
$0.62PKR 174
425.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.65BND 4.68
$0.77PKR 213
374.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.67BND 4.71
$0.49PKR 138
648.98%
Potato(1kg)
$2.25BND 2.88
$0.35PKR 98.2
542.86%
Onion(1kg)
$2.49BND 3.19
$0.48PKR 134
418.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.63BND 5.94
$0.38PKR 106
1118.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02BND 1.31
$0.36PKR 99.7
183.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$11.96BND 15.34
$1.91PKR 532
526.18%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.14BND 6.60
$1.09PKR 304
371.56%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35BND 1.73
$2.00PKR 557
-32.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.83BND 15.18
$1.96PKR 546
503.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.76BND 0.97
$0.15PKR 42.98
406.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$7.14PKR 1,986
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.62BND 5.92
$0.85PKR 237
443.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.52BND 3.23
$0.51PKR 143
394.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.82BND 15.16
$1.81PKR 503
553.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.40BND 0.52
$0.90PKR 249
-55.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.2KBND 29.7K
$17.4KPKR 4.8M
32.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2KBND 40.1K
$24.0KPKR 6.7M
30.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$53.0BND 67.9
$110PKR 30.7K
-51.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.48BND 28.83
$4.72PKR 1,313
376.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$92.8BND 119
$15.34PKR 4,268
505.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.08BND 56.5
$13.40PKR 3,728
228.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.90BND 7.57
$8.53PKR 2,374
-30.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.43BND 6.97
$4.31PKR 1,199
25.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$173BND 222
$38.86PKR 10.8K
345.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6KBND 13.6K
$1,143PKR 318.1K
825.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.6BND 106
$15.81PKR 4,398
422.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.4BND 83.9
$23.47PKR 6,528
178.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101BND 129
$72.0PKR 20.0K
39.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.2BND 116
$33.27PKR 9,254
171.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$776BND 995
$111PKR 30.9K
598.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$511BND 655
$67.3PKR 18.7K
658.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,300BND 1,667
$272PKR 75.6K
377.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$858BND 1,100
$167PKR 46.5K
413.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,032BND 2,606
$983PKR 273.3K
106.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,377BND 3,049
$519PKR 144.4K
357.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,349BND 3,013
$185PKR 51.5K
1169.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.05
18.97
-78.65%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brunei: May 30, 2026
Last update for Pakistan: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $291 in Brunei, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $198 in Islamabad.
💰National salary averages: $2,266 in Brunei, $187 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 273% higher in Brunei.
⭐Dining out costs 127% more in Brunei.
⭐Salaries are 1112% higher in Brunei, giving Brunei stronger purchasing power.
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 $823 per month in Brunei and $408 in Pakistan, there's a 102% 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?
Pakistan is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 Pakistan?
In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Brunei, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Brunei or 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.