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: $957 in Brasilia versus $950 in Cuenca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,422 in Cuenca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,895 in Cuenca.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 1% more expensive than in Cuenca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Cuenca 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$43.93

$3.44 $3.44

150.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$30.33 $30.33

28.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.79

$7.89 $7.89

1.39%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.98

$2.56 $2.56

-0.39%

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

$1.45 R$7.40

$0.69 $0.69

110.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.62 $0.62

54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.52

$2.03 $2.03

11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.85

$3.08 $3.08

26.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$1.05 $1.05

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.40

$1.54 $1.54

32.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.80 $1.80

-30.00%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.45

$2.20 $2.20

10.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.5

$5.37 $5.37

124.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.72

$5.48 $5.48

-25.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.05

$6.99 $6.99

17.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.96

$1.91 $1.91

22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.24

$1.08 $1.08

31.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$1.65 $1.65

-23.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.44

$1.19 $1.19

38.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.90

$1.54 $1.54

-24.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$1.02 $1.02

-0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.62 $0.62

33.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$1.08 $1.08

-9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.16

$5.22 $5.22

-54.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.75

$10.04 $10.04

-20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.64

$1.56 $1.56

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.22

$3.32 $3.32

-27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.67

$0.30 $0.30

206.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

$23.32 $23.32

50.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.99 $0.99

6.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.35

$1.07 $1.07

-20.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.43

$11.16 $11.16

-46.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.53

$0.82 $0.82

56.10%

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

$22.6K R$115.4K

$25.3K $25.3K

-10.60%

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

$32.1K R$163.7K

$29.9K $29.9K

7.45%

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

$91.1 R$464

$36.60 $36.60

148.77%

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

$12.43 R$63.4

$12.17 $12.17

2.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$115

$26.61 $26.61

-15.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$28.88 $28.88

9.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

$5.15 $5.15

411.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.06

$7.33 $7.33

7.23%

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

$813 R$4,147

$217 $217

275.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.2K

$6,919 $6,919

135.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$266

$68.4 $68.4

-23.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$223

$46.11 $46.11

-5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$422

$111 $111

-25.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$441

$74.9 $74.9

15.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,551

$468 $468

6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,357

$362 $362

-26.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,778

$664 $664

70.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,865

$566 $566

-0.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.3K

$1,248 $1,248

93.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,695

$851 $851

100.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,467

$563 $563

55.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

10.95

7.76%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $468 in Cuenca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $30.00 in Cuenca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $192 per month, with Cuenca cheaper across the board.

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 1% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $950 including rent). Cuenca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Brasilia, 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: $500 in Brasilia versus $468 in Cuenca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuenca – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $957 per month in Brasilia versus $950 in Cuenca – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Cuenca versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuenca but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Cuenca 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, 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 Cuenca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.