For one person, living is cheaper in Pakistan: $483 a month against $1,379 in Brunei, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brunei and in Pakistan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,379 in Brunei versus $483 in Pakistan.
Brunei $1,379
Pakistan $483
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,067 in Brunei versus $736 in Pakistan.
Brunei $2,067
Pakistan $736
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Brunei versus $988 in Pakistan.
Brunei $2,755
Pakistan $988
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Brunei: monthly costs span $567 to $1,726, compared to $291–$607 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Brunei.
🌍
Living in Brunei is roughly 186% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.82BND 6.16
$2.11PKR 583
128.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.32BND 47.68
$13.97PKR 3,866
167.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.40BND 8.17
$5.50PKR 1,523
16.36%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.00BND 2.55
$2.22PKR 616
-9.91%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28BND 2.91
$4.31PKR 1,193
-47.10%
Cappuccino
$3.92BND 5.01
$1.97PKR 546
98.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17BND 1.50
$0.38PKR 105
207.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72BND 0.92
$0.23PKR 63.7
213.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.31BND 2.95
$0.87PKR 240
165.52%
White Bread(500g)
$1.91BND 2.44
$0.60PKR 165
218.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.02BND 2.58
$1.21PKR 335
66.94%
Eggs
$2.28BND 2.91
$1.21PKR 334
88.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.87BND 21.55
$5.42PKR 1,500
211.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.52BND 9.60
$2.83PKR 783
165.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.62BND 22.51
$5.06PKR 1,400
248.22%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98BND 5.08
$1.20PKR 331
231.67%
Banana(1kg)
$3.66BND 4.68
$0.64PKR 176
471.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.52BND 4.50
$0.87PKR 241
304.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.16BND 5.32
$0.54PKR 149
670.37%
Potato(1kg)
$2.50BND 3.19
$0.33PKR 91.8
657.58%
Onion(1kg)
$2.39BND 3.05
$0.39PKR 108
512.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.50BND 5.75
$0.37PKR 104
1116.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00BND 1.28
$0.41PKR 113
143.90%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$15.85BND 20.25
$2.08PKR 575
662.02%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.18BND 6.62
$1.07PKR 296
384.11%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07BND 1.37
$2.36PKR 652
-54.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.76BND 15.03
$2.14PKR 593
449.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.75BND 0.96
$0.20PKR 55.0
275.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.09BND 30.77
$10.01PKR 2,768
140.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.97BND 5.07
$0.88PKR 243
351.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.28BND 4.19
$0.56PKR 155
485.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.77BND 15.04
$2.22PKR 614
430.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.37BND 0.47
$1.29PKR 357
-71.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.4KBND 54.1K
$17.8KPKR 4.9M
138.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2KBND 38.6K
$24.3KPKR 6.7M
24.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$56.9BND 72.7
$110PKR 30.5K
-48.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.37BND 27.30
$5.41PKR 1,496
295.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$92.3BND 118
$15.79PKR 4,369
484.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.74BND 63.5
$18.50PKR 5,119
168.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.51BND 7.03
$11.09PKR 3,067
-50.32%
Cinema Ticket
$5.54BND 7.08
$4.32PKR 1,195
28.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$181BND 231
$56.4PKR 15.6K
220.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5KBND 14.7K
$1,511PKR 418.2K
661.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.4BND 97.6
$17.56PKR 4,859
335.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$84.4BND 108
$23.58PKR 6,523
258.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111BND 142
$76.7PKR 21.2K
44.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.6BND 126
$35.08PKR 9,706
180.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$728BND 931
$150PKR 41.5K
385.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$502BND 641
$87.4PKR 24.2K
474.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,172BND 1,497
$320PKR 88.7K
265.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$785BND 1,002
$190PKR 52.5K
313.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,082BND 3,937
$970PKR 268.5K
217.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,263BND 2,891
$520PKR 144.0K
334.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brunei
Pakistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,217BND 2,832
$192PKR 53.2K
1053.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.88
14.1
-72.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brunei: October 27, 2026
Last update for Pakistan: October 25, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Brunei
$502 36.4%
Pakistan
$87 18.1% ↓ 82.6%$414
🛒Groceries & Markets
Brunei
$319 23.2%
Pakistan
$94 19.5% ↓ 70.6%$226
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunei
$171 12.4%
Pakistan
$131 27.2% ↓ 22.9%$39
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Brunei
$167 12.1%
Pakistan
$69 14.3% ↓ 58.7%$98
🍽Eating Out
Brunei
$112 8.2%
Pakistan
$59 12.3% ↓ 47.1%$53
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Brunei
$61 4.4%
Pakistan
$27 5.6% ↓ 55.4%$34
🚌Getting Around
Brunei
$47 3.4%
Pakistan
$14 3% ↓ 69.5%$33
🏠Accommodation & Living
Brunei
$785 28.5%
Pakistan
$190 19.2% ↓ 75.8%$595
🛒Groceries & Markets
Brunei
$774 28.1%
Pakistan
$228 23% ↓ 70.6%$546
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunei
$192 7%
Pakistan
$137 13.9% ↓ 28.7%$55
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Brunei
$370 13.4%
Pakistan
$153 15.5% ↓ 58.7%$217
🍽Eating Out
Brunei
$411 14.9%
Pakistan
$186 18.9% ↓ 54.7%$225
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Brunei
$127 4.6%
Pakistan
$65 6.6% ↓ 48.6%$62
🚌Getting Around
Brunei
$96 3.5%
Pakistan
$29 3% ↓ 69.6%$67
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $728 in Brunei, $137 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $726 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $261 in Islamabad.
💰National salary averages: $2,209 in Brunei, $185 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 431% higher in Brunei.
⭐Dining out costs 146% more in Brunei.
⭐Public transport is 130% more expensive in Brunei.
⭐Salaries are about 12 times higher in Brunei, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Brunei.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 $1,379 per month in Brunei and $483 in Pakistan, Pakistan comes out about 65% cheaper. 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 cheaper in Pakistan: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. 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 for a central one-bedroom averages $728 in Brunei and $137 in Pakistan. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
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, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.