Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Ipoh Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Ipoh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Brasilia versus $883 in Ipoh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,303 in Ipoh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,722 in Ipoh.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 2% less than in Ipoh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Ipoh 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.67

$2.61 MYR 10.67

184.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$198

$19.07 MYR 77.9

104.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.14

$3.86 MYR 15.78

59.07%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.75

$2.23 MYR 9.11

-13.90%

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

$1.18 R$5.97

$0.72 MYR 2.94

63.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.36 MYR 1.48

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.04

$3.58 MYR 14.63

-50.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$16.91

$4.40 MYR 17.97

-24.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.83

$1.82 MYR 7.45

-47.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.27

$1.04 MYR 4.23

56.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.42

$1.32 MYR 5.39

10.61%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.57

$1.92 MYR 7.83

8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$47.72

$12.93 MYR 52.8

-27.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.20

$5.15 MYR 21.02

-34.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.06

$7.71 MYR 31.47

-12.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.92 MYR 11.93

-33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.93

$1.78 MYR 7.28

-23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$3.07 MYR 12.52

-62.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.49

$2.12 MYR 8.66

-21.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.46 MYR 5.95

-15.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.40 MYR 5.71

-6.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.73

$1.66 MYR 6.77

-56.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.43 MYR 1.75

55.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.04

$4.30 MYR 17.57

-49.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.92

$16.83 MYR 68.7

-52.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.60

$3.44 MYR 14.04

-68.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.59

$4.43 MYR 18.07

-48.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$0.70 MYR 2.85

38.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$220

$12.01 MYR 49.04

260.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.82

$1.17 MYR 4.77

-18.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$1.10 MYR 4.49

-28.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.59

$4.22 MYR 17.22

38.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$0.47 MYR 1.92

142.55%

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

$25.2K R$128.0K

$43.1K MYR 175.8K

-41.44%

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

$29.2K R$148.0K

$31.5K MYR 128.5K

-7.32%

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

$71.8 R$364

$63.9 MYR 261

12.30%

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

$13.11 R$66.5

$9.34 MYR 38.13

40.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$104

$28.24 MYR 115

-27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$127

$23.18 MYR 94.7

7.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$109

$5.86 MYR 23.92

267.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.27

$2.99 MYR 12.23

145.48%

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

$485 R$2,462

$119 MYR 486

307.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.1K

$2,390 MYR 9,758

535.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$295

$60.0 MYR 245

-3.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$213

$27.03 MYR 110

55.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$344

$76.6 MYR 313

-11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$326

$53.0 MYR 216

21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,031

$384 MYR 1,566

4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,330

$273 MYR 1,113

-3.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,788

$639 MYR 2,608

47.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,825

$470 MYR 1,917

18.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.5K

$2,337 MYR 9,543

5.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,762

$1,286 MYR 5,253

34.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,666

$936 MYR 3,824

-1.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

3.96

199.75%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ipoh: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $384 in Ipoh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ipoh pays 2% 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 $19.00 in Ipoh. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $256, 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 Ipoh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Ipoh differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $883 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Ipoh. 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: $400 in Brasilia versus $384 in Ipoh. 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 $19.00 in Ipoh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $883 in Ipoh – a 2% 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 Ipoh 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 2% less than in Ipoh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.