Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cuenca Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cuenca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Brasilia versus $891 in Cuenca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,325 in Cuenca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,759 in Cuenca.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 3% less than in Cuenca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Cuenca 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.12

$3.40 $3.40

106.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$194

$24.57 $24.57

58.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.64

$7.13 $7.13

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.80

$2.48 $2.48

-20.97%

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

$1.18 R$5.89

$0.83 $0.83

42.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.30

$0.70 $0.70

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.28

$1.98 $1.98

-6.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$15.89

$3.58 $3.58

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.98

$1.13 $1.13

-12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$7.99

$1.61 $1.61

-0.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.06

$1.53 $1.53

-7.84%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.19

$2.09 $2.09

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.31

$5.43 $5.43

74.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.01

$5.48 $5.48

-37.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.21

$6.25 $6.25

12.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.82

$1.47 $1.47

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.02

$1.05 $1.05

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.02

$1.23 $1.23

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.29

$1.06 $1.06

56.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.20

$1.53 $1.53

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.53

$1.06 $1.06

23.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.46 $0.46

76.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.15

$1.04 $1.04

-39.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.66

$5.70 $5.70

-62.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.16

$10.33 $10.33

-12.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.53

$1.43 $1.43

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.95

$3.30 $3.30

-27.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.15

$0.33 $0.33

212.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$222

$26.98 $26.98

64.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.72

$0.68 $0.68

38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.99 $0.99

-18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$27.88

$13.64 $13.64

-59.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.61

$0.63 $0.63

77.78%

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

$25.0K R$125.2K

$30.4K $30.4K

-17.79%

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

$29.1K R$145.7K

$28.3K $28.3K

3.00%

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

$72.2 R$361

$39.61 $39.61

82.35%

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

$13.08 R$65.5

$13.71 $13.71

-4.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$102

$31.29 $31.29

-34.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$125

$29.47 $29.47

-15.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$107

$5.30 $5.30

301.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.42

$7.46 $7.46

-5.09%

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

$488 R$2,444

$250 $250

95.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.0K

$5,599 $5,599

167.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$292

$55.2 $55.2

5.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$210

$54.5 $54.5

-23.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$349

$99.7 $99.7

-29.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$327

$65.6 $65.6

-0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,040

$370 $370

10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,302

$325 $325

-19.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,747

$674 $674

40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,811

$503 $503

11.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.7K

$1,245 $1,245

103.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,576

$827 $827

107.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,235

$537 $537

57.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.48

3.40%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $370 in Cuenca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $25.00 in Cuenca. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $184, with Brasilia 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

Brasilia vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Cuenca differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $891 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 58% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $408 in Brasilia versus $370 in Cuenca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $25.00 in Cuenca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Brasilia versus $891 in Cuenca – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Brasilia 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, Brasilia and Cuenca 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 Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Cuenca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.