Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Brunei Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Brunei

Name: Brunei
Address: BN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $808 in Brunei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,272 in Brunei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $1,735 in Brunei.

Living in United States is roughly 227% more expensive than Brunei on average.

United States (97% above) and Brunei (40% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $3.00–$1,642 in Brunei. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$5.26 BND 6.75

280.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$32.55 BND 41.75

133.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$6.42 BND 8.23

77.88%

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

$5.39 $5.39

$4.00 BND 5.13

34.75%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.15 BND 1.47

121.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.76 BND 0.98

168.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.32 BND 2.98

-55.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.92 BND 2.47

90.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.09 BND 2.68

126.32%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.44 BND 3.13

79.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$15.47 BND 19.84

-17.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$7.45 BND 9.55

66.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$18.24 BND 23.40

-10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.83 BND 4.91

41.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.26 BND 4.18

-49.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.65 BND 4.68

25.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.67 BND 4.71

33.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.25 BND 2.88

29.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.49 BND 3.19

25.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$4.63 BND 5.94

-51.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.02 BND 1.31

125.49%

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)

$9.89 $9.89

$11.83 BND 15.18

-16.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.76 BND 0.97

226.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.62 BND 5.92

-16.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.52 BND 3.23

-30.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$11.82 BND 15.16

158.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.40 BND 0.52

140.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.5K $30.5K

$23.2K BND 29.7K

31.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K $26.4K

$31.2K BND 40.1K

-15.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$204 $204

$53.0 BND 67.9

285.59%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.3 $57.3

$22.48 BND 28.83

154.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$92.8 BND 119

-23.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$44.08 BND 56.5

5.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$5.90 BND 7.57

274.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$5.43 BND 6.97

154.88%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,384 $1,384

$173 BND 222

699.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$10.6K BND 13.6K

114.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$82.6 BND 106

-35.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$65.4 BND 83.9

-33.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$101 BND 129

-9.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$90.2 BND 116

26.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$776 BND 995

127.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$511 BND 655

185.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,300 BND 1,667

117.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$858 BND 1,100

181.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$2,032 BND 2,606

61.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,377 BND 3,049

11.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$2,349 BND 3,013

86.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.05

60.74%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Brunei: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $291 in Brunei. Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $2,266 in Brunei. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 463% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 192% more in United States.

Salaries are 99% higher in United States, 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

United States vs Brunei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $823 per month in Brunei and $3,212 in United States, there's a 291% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in United States 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.

In Brunei, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Brunei wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.