What currency do I pay with in Brunei? How much do goods cost in a regular supermarket and how much in a restaurant? And how much does a week's stay in Brunei cost? Find out in this chapter.
Find the best hotels in Brunei
Brunei dollar (BND)
The local currency is the Brunei dollar, which is divided into 100 cents.
Coins are available in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and you'll rarely come across a 1 cent coin.
Commonly used notes are worth $1, $5, $10 and $50, less often you will see $100 notes and quite rarely you will see $20, $25, $500, $1,000 and even $10,000 notes.
- BND (numeric code 096)
- Currency symbol: $ or B$
The Brunei dollar has a fixed exchange rate to the Singapore dollar 1 sgd = 1 bnd.
Can I pay with other currencies in Brunei?
As the Brunei dollar is convertible to the Singapore dollar at par, it is common to pay in Brunei in Singapore dollars.
Other currencies such as Malaysian Ringgit, Indonesian Rupiah, US Dollars or Euros are not commonly accepted for payment in Brunei and must be exchanged at an exchange office.
Exchange offices and card payments
You'll find exchange offices with good rates in the public area of Brunei BWN Airport, as well as in the centre of Bandar Seri Begawan, where there is a large concentration of banks.
Foreign cards normally work at local ATMs. Some ATMs may not accept metal cards (such as Revolut Metal). You can easily withdraw money with all types of foreign cards from BBID ATMs, for example.
ATMs allow you to withdraw cash without a fee.
The concentration of ATMs is sufficient and you will find them especially near shopping centres.
Brunei is a very safe country and therefore you do not have to worry about carrying large amounts of cash.
Payment by card
Card payments are not as widespread as in Europe or America, but you can pay with a foreign card in most supermarkets, hotels, fast-food outlets and better restaurants without any problems.
You will need cash in transport (including taxis), markets, small shops and some museums and attractions.
How much does what cost
Brunei is generally one of the most expensive countries in Southeast Asia. Prices are slightly higher than in Malaysia or Thailand and significantly higher than in Indonesia.
The price level in Brunei can be compared to cheaper countries in Europe or Korea or Taiwan, for example.
Examples of prices
Accommodation in a double room (prices per night):
For a better idea, we list hotel prices in US dollars.
- Cheap hostel with shared bathroom - from 35 usd
- Local 3* hotel - from 80 usd
- International 4* hotel - from 120 usd
- Search for the cheapest accommodation in Brunei
Restaurant food:
- A hot main meal in a regular restaurant for tourists - 15 bnd
- Menu at a fast-food restaurant (Jollibee, Burger King, KFC) - from 7 bnd
- Fish with side dishes at markets - 4 bnd
- A hot meal at a stall or restaurant for locals - 3 bnd to 5 bnd
- Ambuyat menu (national dish) - 5 bnd to 10 bnd
- Espresso or Capuccino in a café - 5 bnd
- Water 0.33 l - 1 bnd
- Fanta/Coca Cola/Sprite 0.5 l - 1 bnd
- Draft beer - 2 bnd (only non-alcoholic beer sold)
- Food at Gadong Market - from 1 bnd
- Delicious lemonade at the stall - from 1 bnd
Supermarket food:
- Water 1.5l - 1 bnd
- 5l barrel of water - 4 bnd
- Packed baguette - 3 bnd
- Coca Cola (and other sodas) 2l - 1,50 bnd
- Milk 1l - 3 bnd
- Apples - 5 bnd / kg
- Bananas - 4 bnd / kg
- Rice - 2,50 bnd
- Chicken 1 kg - 11 bnd
- Beef 1 kg - 26 bnd
- Canned tuna - 1 bnd
- Pastry 6 pcs of buns - 2 bnd
Buses and transport:
- Bus ticket - 1 bnd regardless of distance
- Ferry to Kampong Ayer - 1 bnd per trip
- Price of petrol 1 litre - 0,50 bnd
- DART Taxi - subject to current demand - approx. 5 bnd for a longer journey around the centre of Bandar Seri Begawan or from 12 bnd from the centre to the airport
Alcohol and cigarettes:
- Alcohol is not legally sold anywhere in Brunei
- Pack of cigarettes - 15 bnd
Tipping and Bargaining
Brunei, despite its strong Islamic influence, is one of the modern western-style countries and haggling is not widely practised here.
You can try haggling in markets for goods that don't have a price tag, but you probably won't be very successful.
Tipping is a warm way to say thank you if you like or are satisfied with the service. However, in Brunei, tipping is not as widespread and if you don't leave a tip, you certainly won't offend.
How to save
The biggest savings can be made on meals and accommodation. In our opinion, it is most ideal to eat on the street and in local restaurants and eateries.
Compared to, say, India, the Philippines, Vietnam or even parts of Thailand and Indonesia, good hygiene conditions are consistently maintained even in the markets, and fears of food poisoning are not out of place in Brunei.
Pay around 5 bnd for food in the markets and you'll be fed for the day.
You can also save money on transport if you only travel by buses for 1 bnd, however you must always allow plenty of time as some routes run less than 1 bus per hour.
Daily budget
How much money to take with you on your holiday to Brunei is mainly a question of your stay and the type of activities you want to do there.
Low-cost travellers will stay in a cheap hostel and will only take buses around the island for their entire stay. You'll eat mainly at the markets.
Search for the cheapest hotels in Brunei
The golden mean includes accommodation in a 3* hotel near the city centre. You'll go to a restaurant for dinner, but you'll tackle breakfast and lunch by shopping at a supermarket or fast food outlet. During your week-long stay, you'll rent a car for 3 days or use the DART taxi app.
The following table shows the prices for a 3-night stay for 2 people. Spending is based on a per day per person basis.
For better clarity, we list prices in US dollars.
| Low-cost | Regular traveller | |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 18 usd | 45 usd |
| Food | 6 usd | 10 usd |
| Public transport | 2 usd | 15 usd |
| Car rental | -- | 30 usd |
| Attractions, excursions | -- | 160 usd |
| Total | 26 usd | 260 usd |
