Costs in Brunei

The official household expenditure survey (Household Expenditure Survey (HES)) is Brunei’s official survey of household spending. For the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024, it recorded average monthly spending of BND 2,817 per household and BND 558 per person. The median was BND 2,163. Average spending was BND 2,874 in urban areas and BND 2,669 in rural areas. By district, spending was BND 3,030 in Brunei-Muara, BND 2,719 in Tutong, BND 2,123 in Belait and BND 1,572 in Temburong. The lowest income quintile spent an average of BND 1,112, while the highest spent BND 4,963. These figures depend, among other things, on household size, income, housing type, district, vehicle ownership and residency status. No official table for a minimum or subsistence budget was found. For an individual calculation, combine HES figures with current rents, provider prices and the household’s actual habits. The largest HES spending block was housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, at BND 1,090 or 38.7 percent. Transport was BND 327, food and non-alcoholic beverages BND 306, restaurants and accommodation BND 227, recreation, sport and culture BND 165, information and communication BND 161, education services BND 49 and health BND 20. Spending abroad averaged BND 220. For owner-occupied housing, the HES includes an imputed rent but excludes loan repayments, bank deposits and property purchases. The HES housing block therefore does not automatically equal the rent actually paid each month. Private rents are not covered by a nationwide official rent index, so current estate-agent offers and specific listings are needed for planning. Government housing quarters (Government Housing Quarters) and the national housing scheme (Skim Perumahan Negara) are allocated under their own eligibility rules. An application to the national JKP housing programme (JKP) is open only to Brunei citizens; access and costs also depend on status and employer. No tenancy stamp duty is charged for a house rent of up to BND 2,000. For higher amounts, the duty is BND 1 per BND 250 or part thereof for a term of up to one year, BND 2 for a term of more than one year up to five years, and BND 4 for terms longer than five years or for indefinite agreements. Residents of government service quarters also pay electricity, water, telephone, lawn maintenance, waste disposal and eligible repair costs. For households, the Department of Electrical Services calculates residential electricity in four bands: BND 0.01 per kWh for the first 600 kWh, BND 0.08 for 601 to 2,000 kWh, BND 0.10 for 2,001 to 4,000 kWh and BND 0.12 for consumption above that level. The department’s examples result in BND 6 for 600 kWh, BND 38 for 1,000 kWh, BND 118 for 2,000 kWh and BND 318 for 4,000 kWh. A one-time residential electricity connection costs BND 90 for an overhead connection up to 60 amperes and BND 350 for an underground connection up to 43 kVA. The Public Works Department supplies drinking water to 99.9 percent of the population. The current water charge and the status of the smart-meter system should be checked before budgeting with the Department of Water Services or through eBIS. Water bills are linked to the relevant account; faults and tanker requests can be reported through the Darussalam contact line (Talian Darussalam 123). For food, the Department of Consumer Affairs publishes prices through the 1-2-Compare price comparison service (1-2-Compare), covering more than 180 household items from an average of 60 outlets per month. The data are voluntary and show market prices, not a guarantee for every provider. Price controls under the Price Control Act apply to cooking oil and formulated milk powder; seasonal maximum prices may be set for whole chickens and eggs. 2024 averages were BND 8.41 for 10 kg of ordinary Thai rice, BND 12.08 for 10 kg of fragrant rice, BND 12.23 for 10 kg of local rice, BND 5.85 for a tray of eggs, BND 1.07 for 388 g of condensed milk and BND 11.68 for 5 kg of vegetable oil. Import prices, the season and the outlet can change actual costs. The public bus costs BND 1 per trip and operates approximately from 6:00 to 18:00, depending on the service area and timetable. Taxis charge by meter, while driver and e-hailing availability fluctuates. For many households, a private car is a major cost item. Road tax for private cars and motorcycles is BND 2.25 per 100 cm³. From a vehicle age of seven years, annual renewal is required; renewed insurance is needed for this. Vehicle inspection costs BND 5 for the first inspection and BND 10 for the second. Inspections can be carried out at the computerised vehicle inspection centre (Vehicle Inspection Centre) in Beribi and in Tutong and Belait; the certificate issued there is valid for three months. Fuel prices are influenced by requirements of the Department of Energy, and foreign-registered vehicles do not benefit from subsidised prices. The current fuel price should be checked again before calculating costs. Healthcare costs depend heavily on residency and identity-card status. At public facilities, eligible treatment is generally exempt from charges for holders of a yellow identity card (Yellow Identity Card) and stateless holders of a purple identity card (Purple Identity Card). Holders of a purple identity card who are foreign nationals and holders of a green identity card (Green Identity Card) pay under the Health Service Charge Policy. Since 1 July 2025, outpatient registration costs BND 1 for Yellow Identity Card holders and stateless Purple Identity Card holders, BND 3 for certain Purple Identity Card holders and BND 5 for other groups. A general consultation costs BND 15 during working hours and BND 25 outside those hours. Non-exempt patients pay, depending on ward and group, for example BND 20 in Class C or BND 150 to BND 325 in higher ward classes. Examinations and treatments are additional; an MRI costs BND 600 and a CT costs BND 300 to BND 400 depending on the group. Referrals to neighbouring countries increase charges by 20 percent. In cases of financial hardship, the Medical Social Work Division can conduct a hardship assessment; charitable assistance or instalment payments may also be available. Private treatment and insurance must be budgeted separately. The education system provides for at least twelve years of education; preschool begins from age five. Government schools and support provided by the Ministry of Education follow their own eligibility rules, while private and international schools set their own fees. For higher education at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, published programme fees for citizens and permanent residents range from BND 12,000 to BND 45,000 depending on the programme, and from BND 16,500 to BND 60,000 for international students. At Universiti Teknologi Brunei, a three- to four-year full-time programme costs, for example, BND 16,000 for citizens and permanent residents; international fees range from BND 24,000 to BND 40,000 depending on the field. Universiti Teknologi Brunei requires payment in advance of 50 percent of one semester. Depending on the programme, scholarships may cover tuition fees, accommodation, books and meals. There is no separate official household cost category for families. Costs arise mainly from additional food, education, transport, healthcare, nappies, formulated milk, childcare, school uniforms and school trips. A Public Service Department education allowance of BND 120 per child per month applies only to eligible government employees and their dependants, with a special rule for Jerudong International School. Private childcare and school transport depend on the provider. Household size particularly affects housing, food and mobility. For communications, the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry regulates tariff notifications and publications from licensed providers DST, imagine and Progresif. Current DST examples for Infinity fixed-line plans are BND 38, BND 58, BND 98 and BND 148 per month; several Infinity plans may also incur a fixed-line charge of BND 10. The contract term may be up to 24 months. DST Mobi tariffs include, for example, BND 18, BND 30, BND 50 and BND 80 per month. imagine offers data packages from BND 4 to BND 70. Before signing, check network coverage, fibre availability, contract term, device, add-on packages and installation costs. The HES reports average monthly spending of BND 165 on recreation, sport and culture. Older travel data show only a rough pattern: for domestic travel in 2021, less than BND 100 per day applied to 44.1 percent of participating households, BND 100 to 299 to 39.2 percent and more than BND 299 to 16.7 percent. The international travel data are from before the pandemic and partly exclude flights and accommodation, so they are not suitable as a current lump-sum amount. Public parks and free activities should be budgeted separately from commercial leisure. The Consumer Price Index of the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics changed overall by minus 0.3 percent in 2025, by minus 0.3 percent for food, by minus 0.8 percent for transport and by minus 1.0 percent for recreation and culture. Rent and maintenance costs can nevertheless develop differently each month within the housing category. For a realistic budget, first record rent, utilities, food, mobility, communications, healthcare and education. Then separate recurring costs from deposits, tenancy fees, connections, road tax, vehicle inspections, insurance, school enrolment, advance semester payments, medical diagnostics, devices, installation and travel. Loan repayments are not part of the consumption expenditure recorded by the HES; bank or tax costs belong in this calculation only when they arise directly as costs of the specific transaction.