Cost of Living Comparison Between Germany and Brunei Cost of Living Comparison Between Germany and Brunei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,017 in Germany versus $808 in Brunei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,049 in Germany versus $1,272 in Brunei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,081 in Germany versus $1,735 in Brunei.

Living in Germany is roughly 150% more expensive than Brunei on average.

Germany (51% above) and Brunei (40% below) straddle the global median.

Germany ($1,333$2,865) and Brunei ($3.00$1,642) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Germany
Brunei
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.12 €14.74
$5.26 BND 6.75
225.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.6 €65.1
$32.55 BND 41.75
132.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.77 €10.13
$6.42 BND 8.23
83.33%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.92 BND 2.46
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.28 BND 2.93
-
Cappuccino
$4.15 €3.57
$4.00 BND 5.13
3.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 €2.91
$1.15 BND 1.47
193.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 €2.55
$0.76 BND 0.98
289.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.33 €4.59
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59 €3.96
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Germany
Brunei
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.13
$2.32 BND 2.98
-43.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 €1.89
$1.92 BND 2.47
14.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.30 €2.84
$2.09 BND 2.68
57.89%
Eggs
$3.88 €3.34
$2.44 BND 3.13
59.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.64 €12.61
$15.47 BND 19.84
-5.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.85 €11.93
$7.45 BND 9.55
85.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.07 €17.28
$18.24 BND 23.40
10.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 €2.76
$3.83 BND 4.91
-16.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 €1.63
$3.26 BND 4.18
-42.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 €1.98
$3.65 BND 4.68
-37.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.78 €4.11
$3.67 BND 4.71
30.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 €1.38
$2.25 BND 2.88
-28.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 €1.41
$2.49 BND 3.19
-34.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.92 €1.65
$4.63 BND 5.94
-58.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 €0.95
$1.02 BND 1.31
7.84%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$11.96 BND 15.34
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$5.14 BND 6.60
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.35 BND 1.73
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.68 €8.33
$11.83 BND 15.18
-18.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €4.95
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 €0.95
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 €1.41
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Germany
Brunei
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 €3.22
$0.76 BND 0.97
392.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.0 €57.7
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.93 €5.10
$4.62 BND 5.92
28.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.34 €2.02
$2.52 BND 3.23
-7.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.50 €32.29
$11.82 BND 15.16
217.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.02 €1.74
$0.40 BND 0.52
405.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.2K €26.8K
$23.2K BND 29.7K
34.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K €32.5K
$31.2K BND 40.1K
20.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
Brunei
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$356 €306
$53.0 BND 67.9
571.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.58 €23.75
$22.48 BND 28.83
22.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 €44.54
$92.8 BND 119
-44.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Germany
Brunei
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.39 €34.78
$44.08 BND 56.5
-8.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.17 €21.67
$5.90 BND 7.57
326.61%
Cinema Ticket
$13.75 €11.84
$5.43 BND 6.97
153.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Germany
Brunei
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$477 €410
$173 BND 222
175.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K €13.0K
$10.6K BND 13.6K
42.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Germany
Brunei
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.0 €81.8
$82.6 BND 106
14.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.64 €38.44
$65.4 BND 83.9
-31.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €89.1
$101 BND 129
2.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €117
$90.2 BND 116
50.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Germany
Brunei
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,007 €868
$776 BND 995
29.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$779 €671
$511 BND 655
52.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 €1,659
$1,300 BND 1,667
48.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,467 €1,263
$858 BND 1,100
71.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,266 €5,396
$2,032 BND 2,606
208.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,093 €3,524
$2,377 BND 3,049
72.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Germany
Brunei
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,405 €2,932
$2,349 BND 3,013
44.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.98
4.05
-1.73%

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

Last update for Germany: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brunei: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $846 in Germany, $291 in Brunei. Capital cities: $1,410 in Berlin vs $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan.

National salary averages: $3,209 in Germany, $2,266 in Brunei. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 191% higher in Germany.

Dining out costs 188% more in Germany.

Salaries are 42% higher in Germany, 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
Germany vs Brunei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Brunei and Germany?
At $823 per month in Brunei and $2,099 in Germany, there's a 155% 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?
Brunei 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 Germany beats 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 Germany?
In Brunei, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Germany, 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 Germany?
It depends on what you're after. Brunei wins on affordability; Germany may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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