Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $860 in Brasilia versus $802 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Brasilia versus $1,218 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Brasilia versus $1,633 in Kuching.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 7% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$36.33

$2.76 MYR 11.20

154.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 R$201

$20.32 MYR 82.5

91.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 R$33.13

$4.81 MYR 19.53

33.06%

Cappuccino

$1.94 R$10.02

$2.53 MYR 10.27

-23.32%

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

$1.15 R$5.98

$0.76 MYR 3.07

51.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.46

$0.29 MYR 1.20

196.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.21

$2.78 MYR 11.28

-35.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.50

$3.61 MYR 14.64

-11.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.11

$1.91 MYR 7.77

-48.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 R$8.58

$1.09 MYR 4.44

52.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.69

$1.06 MYR 4.28

40.57%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.41

$2.15 MYR 8.73

-6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 R$46.54

$9.37 MYR 38.03

-4.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$17.06

$3.79 MYR 15.37

-12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$34.36

$8.01 MYR 32.51

-17.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.46

$2.99 MYR 12.14

-32.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.25

$1.14 MYR 4.63

22.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.23

$2.59 MYR 10.49

-53.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.38

$1.80 MYR 7.31

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.69

$1.11 MYR 4.51

16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.24 MYR 5.01

5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.18

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-52.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.23

$0.53 MYR 2.13

16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.24

$4.19 MYR 17.02

-48.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 R$44.89

$21.36 MYR 86.7

-59.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.49

$3.87 MYR 15.70

-72.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.67

$3.41 MYR 13.83

-34.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.23

$0.23 MYR 0.93

339.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.27 R$229

$11.92 MYR 48.36

271.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.19

$0.93 MYR 3.77

7.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.17

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-27.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 R$29.55

$1.84 MYR 7.45

210.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.91

$0.50 MYR 2.03

128.00%

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

$24.8K R$128.5K

$44.6K MYR 180.9K

-44.30%

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

$28.6K R$147.9K

$37.3K MYR 151.5K

-23.43%

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

$69.8 R$361

$41.24 MYR 167

69.30%

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

$13.07 R$67.6

$8.92 MYR 36.19

46.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 R$106

$25.42 MYR 103

-19.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$129

$29.51 MYR 120

-15.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 R$114

$9.77 MYR 39.65

125.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 R$37.68

$4.63 MYR 18.78

57.24%

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

$491 R$2,540

$141 MYR 573

247.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$80.3K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

155.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 R$305

$65.8 MYR 267

-10.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 R$213

$31.99 MYR 130

28.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 R$351

$85.9 MYR 349

-21.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 R$330

$71.5 MYR 290

-10.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R$2,140

$285 MYR 1,157

45.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,340

$205 MYR 831

26.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 R$4,939

$556 MYR 2,256

71.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,856

$386 MYR 1,567

42.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 R$12.8K

$2,144 MYR 8,699

15.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 R$8,711

$1,535 MYR 6,229

9.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$929 R$4,810

$552 MYR 2,240

68.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

4.27

177.99%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Brasilia and $285 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 68% 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 $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $243, 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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Kuching differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $802 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 68% 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: $414 in Brasilia versus $285 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $860 per month in Brasilia versus $802 in Kuching – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kuching 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 Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.