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: $1,067 in Boksburg versus $831 in Cheras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,657 in Boksburg versus $1,274 in Cheras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,248 in Boksburg versus $1,717 in Cheras.

Living in Boksburg is roughly 28% more expensive than Cheras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boksburg 20% lower, Cheras 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 R 179

$3.44 MYR 13.63

219.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.53 R 675

$18.78 MYR 74.5

121.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 78.1

$4.76 MYR 18.88

1.05%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 34.54

$2.90 MYR 11.50

-26.55%

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

$1.03 R 16.71

$0.84 MYR 3.35

22.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.24

$0.49 MYR 1.94

67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 R 36.57

$4.81 MYR 19.05

-53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R 44.23

$6.66 MYR 26.40

-59.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.39

$1.82 MYR 7.22

-34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.10

$0.98 MYR 3.89

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.53

$1.30 MYR 5.14

20.77%

Eggs

$2.52 R 40.97

$2.16 MYR 8.56

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 126

$15.25 MYR 60.5

-48.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R 73.4

$3.65 MYR 14.48

23.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 R 107

$7.67 MYR 30.41

-14.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.57

$2.74 MYR 10.87

-40.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.19

$1.66 MYR 6.60

-10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.70

$2.56 MYR 10.17

-38.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.70

$1.22 MYR 4.82

34.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.32

$1.45 MYR 5.75

3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.45

$1.35 MYR 5.33

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.90

$0.88 MYR 3.49

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R 18.73

$0.55 MYR 2.18

109.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 48.67

$4.21 MYR 16.69

-28.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 R 98.6

$14.45 MYR 57.3

-57.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 21.94

$2.74 MYR 10.87

-50.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 R 28.73

$3.81 MYR 15.09

-53.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.21

$0.48 MYR 1.91

247.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.66 MYR 46.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.71

$1.01 MYR 4.02

7.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 R 14.76

$1.02 MYR 4.05

-10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 R 50.8

$9.22 MYR 36.57

-66.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.01

$0.47 MYR 1.86

174.47%

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

$18.9K R 306.8K

$48.8K MYR 193.6K

-61.33%

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

$23.8K R 386.6K

$31.4K MYR 124.5K

-24.22%

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

$124 R 2,018

$40.52 MYR 161

206.44%

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

$39.83 R 647

$9.37 MYR 37.17

325.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 R 697

$31.21 MYR 124

37.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.04 R 456

$40.69 MYR 161

-31.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 R 111

$5.93 MYR 23.49

15.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 R 123

$5.04 MYR 20.00

50.60%

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

$200 R 3,256

$188 MYR 744

6.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,899 R 79.6K

$6,832 MYR 27.1K

-28.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 R 814

$63.9 MYR 253

-21.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.96 R 519

$34.51 MYR 137

-7.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 R 1,446

$73.1 MYR 290

21.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 R 1,278

$48.54 MYR 192

61.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 R 4,949

$379 MYR 1,504

-19.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 R 5,408

$236 MYR 935

41.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 R 9,872

$642 MYR 2,547

-5.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 R 11.9K

$431 MYR 1,709

69.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$900 R 14.6K

$1,212 MYR 4,806

-25.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

4.07

182.80%

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

Last update for Boksburg: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cheras: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $305 in Boksburg and $379 in Cheras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheras pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Boksburg vs $19.00 in Cheras. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $236, 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,067 vs $831 including rent). Cheras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cheras earns 35% less. 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: $305 in Boksburg versus $379 in Cheras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Boksburg pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,067 per month in Boksburg versus $831 in Cheras – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cheras gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 28% less than in Boksburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.