Cost of Living Comparison Between Boksburg and Cheras Cost of Living Comparison Between Boksburg and Cheras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Boksburg versus $1,160 in Cheras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,934 in Boksburg versus $1,581 in Cheras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,637 in Boksburg versus $2,003 in Cheras.

Living in Boksburg is roughly 6% more expensive than in Cheras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boksburg 10% lower, Cheras 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.44 R 201

$3.75 MYR 15.15

231.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.89 R 758

$24.68 MYR 99.6

89.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 R 91.7

$4.85 MYR 19.56

16.91%

Cappuccino

$2.36 R 38.13

$3.03 MYR 12.21

-22.11%

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

$1.11 R 17.96

$0.89 MYR 3.58

24.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R 13.82

$0.52 MYR 2.10

63.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 R 32.15

$4.41 MYR 17.78

-54.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 R 45.94

$6.48 MYR 26.13

-56.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.25

$1.89 MYR 7.63

-30.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 R 19.38

$1.09 MYR 4.41

10.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.48

$1.45 MYR 5.84

25.52%

Eggs

$2.63 R 42.49

$1.86 MYR 7.50

41.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 R 150

$18.26 MYR 73.7

-49.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 R 89.2

$4.55 MYR 18.37

21.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 R 143

$10.92 MYR 44.07

-18.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 R 30.62

$3.47 MYR 14.00

-45.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.10

$1.88 MYR 7.57

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.72

$2.71 MYR 10.95

-29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.21

$1.70 MYR 6.88

6.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.97

$2.12 MYR 8.55

-15.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 R 31.45

$1.74 MYR 7.04

11.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 R 20.06

$1.37 MYR 5.54

-9.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.15

$0.55 MYR 2.22

138.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 53.9

$4.34 MYR 17.50

-23.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.14 R 99.3

$14.21 MYR 57.3

-56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.08

$2.76 MYR 11.14

-43.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 R 31.51

$3.02 MYR 12.17

-35.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.57 MYR 50.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 R 4.80

$1.27 MYR 5.14

-76.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R 12.77

$0.35 MYR 1.43

125.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 R 242

$9.14 MYR 36.86

63.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.88

$0.73 MYR 2.97

110.96%

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

$37.1K R 600.2K

$41.9K MYR 168.9K

-11.30%

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

$34.4K R 556.9K

$35.4K MYR 142.8K

-2.64%

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

$222 R 3,584

$50.8 MYR 205

336.06%

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

$38.67 R 625

$11.45 MYR 46.21

237.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.34 R 636

$27.84 MYR 112

41.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.26 R 473

$52.9 MYR 214

-44.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 R 132

$4.93 MYR 19.90

65.72%

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

$246 R 3,976

$167 MYR 676

46.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,594 R 90.4K

$4,510 MYR 18.2K

24.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 R 888

$66.9 MYR 270

-17.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 R 778

$30.12 MYR 122

59.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 R 1,735

$82.2 MYR 332

30.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 R 1,739

$88.1 MYR 356

22.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 R 5,386

$973 MYR 3,926

-65.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 R 5,792

$477 MYR 1,924

-24.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 R 11.1K

$750 MYR 3,025

-8.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 R 12.8K

$492 MYR 1,984

60.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 R 14.8K

$1,207 MYR 4,869

-24.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

4.06

168.72%

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

Last update for Boksburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cheras: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in Boksburg and $973 in Cheras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheras pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Boksburg vs $25.00 in Cheras. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 vs $272, with Boksburg cheaper for home cooking.

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

Boksburg vs Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boksburg and Cheras differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,230 vs $1,160 including rent). Cheras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Cheras. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $333 in Boksburg versus $973 in Cheras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Boksburg pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,230 per month in Boksburg versus $1,160 in Cheras – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,160 in Cheras versus $1,230 in Boksburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cheras but tight or insufficient in Boksburg. The gap between the two cities makes Cheras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Boksburg and Cheras are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cheras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Boksburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.