Singapore vs Brunei: How Do They Compare?

Photo by Khxls is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

It will take approximately five hours and five minutes for Singaporeans to travel to Brunei by air, including plane transfers. 

But is Brunei a country worth visiting, especially if you want to save money on a holiday trip?

With this post, let’s see how Singapore compares to Brunei in some practical aspects.

Is Brunei cheaper than Singapore?

This factoid may seem surprising, especially since Brunei is consistently ranked as one of the richest countries in the world. 

But people living in Brunei spend 2.2 times less money on dining out, groceries, transportation, and other costs of living indices than Singaporeans.  

In a Singapore supermarket, a kilogramme of chicken breasts can cost $7.26, which is only $4.53 in Brunei. A litre of milk in Singapore is already $2.35, while it would cost just $1.44 in Brunei. 

Going to a relatively affordable restaurant in Singapore will still prove to be costlier than in Brunei. A basic meal with a drink can come up to $10.81 total in Singapore but only around $3.60 in Brunei!

Brunei is only 8 times bigger than Singapore

At only 719 square kilometres, Singapore is both a city and a country. Brunei may be bigger but only around eight times as much, at 5,770 square kilometres.

Also, there are 5.7 million fewer people living in Brunei as opposed to Singapore, which has a nearly 6-million population. 

While both southeast Asian countries are considered “tiny,” they’re also great destinations in case you want to visit certain islands. 

In particular, some of Brunei’s touristy islands feature scuba diving, disappearing sandbars, and other activities.

There are more obese people in Brunei than in Singapore

There were 14.1% of obese adults in Brunei by 2016. That’s 56.7% higher compared to Singaporeans.

A 2018 AsiaTimes post revealed that three out of ten adults in Brunei are obese. This has urged the Brunei Health Minister to ask citizens to make healthier choices in diet, exercise, and habits.

Luckily, expert nutritionists can help anyone pick the most balanced diets and nutritious meals for a healthier body and mind. And of course, gym memberships are always available for those who want a more structured fitness regimen.

Housing is more expensive in Singapore

Singaporeans may make 19.3% more money than people in Brunei, but they spend more of it on housing and other costs of living. These include transportation and utilities, as well.

Due to its smaller total land area and bigger population, Singapore’s housing is expected to be more expensive and harder to obtain compared to other bigger, less populated countries like Brunei.

A downtown one-bedroom apartment in Brunei can cost around $676.14. In stark contrast, the same kind of apartment unit and location in Singapore is pegged at $2,204.05—over a 226% difference!

Utilities like electricity and water for two people in Singapore can cost $94.67 a month. But in Brunei, a couple living in one home can do with a monthly utility budget of just $43.92.