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: $2,642 in United States versus $815 in Brunei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,271 in Brunei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,072 in United States versus $1,727 in Brunei.

Living in United States is roughly 224% more expensive than in Brunei on average.

United States (98% above) and Brunei (39% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,335 to $5,182, compared to $3.00–$1,657 in Brunei. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$5.36 BND 6.92

266.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$33.64 BND 43.44

124.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$6.38 BND 8.24

81.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$4.01 BND 5.17

30.17%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.10 BND 1.43

126.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.76 BND 0.99

171.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.39 BND 3.08

-54.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.98 BND 2.55

79.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.12 BND 2.73

123.58%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.36 BND 3.05

83.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$15.51 BND 20.03

-18.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$7.43 BND 9.59

65.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$18.40 BND 23.75

-9.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.83 BND 4.94

34.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.26 BND 4.21

-47.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.79 BND 4.89

17.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.72 BND 4.80

29.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.26 BND 2.92

29.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.54 BND 3.28

21.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$4.78 BND 6.17

-53.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.00 BND 1.29

125.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.68 BND 15.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.30 BND 6.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 BND 1.75

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$11.64 BND 15.03

-14.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.76 BND 0.98

223.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.66 BND 6.02

-19.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.62 BND 3.38

-34.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$11.68 BND 15.07

157.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.38 BND 0.49

152.63%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$23.5K BND 30.4K

26.82%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$31.0K BND 40.1K

-15.73%

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

$210 $210

$53.8 BND 69.5

290.41%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$22.51 BND 29.06

150.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$92.8 BND 120

-21.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$44.14 BND 57.0

2.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$5.96 BND 7.70

262.42%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$5.42 BND 7.00

159.04%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$172 BND 222

702.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$10.8K BND 13.9K

107.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$83.8 BND 108

-37.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$64.6 BND 83.3

-34.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$102 BND 132

-10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$92.6 BND 120

22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$777 BND 1,004

127.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$513 BND 663

184.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,304 BND 1,684

118.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$855 BND 1,104

177.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$3,072 BND 3,966

9.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$2,273 BND 2,935

17.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$2,254 BND 2,910

94.23%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brunei: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $296 in Brunei. Capital cities: $1,625 in Washington, MI vs $739 in Bandar Seri Begawan.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $2,249 in Brunei. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 452% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 192% more in United States.

Salaries are 100% higher in United States, 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

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

At $830 per month in Brunei and $3,259 in United States, there's a 293% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Brunei: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 stretches only to regional areas and 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.