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: $870 in Brasilia versus $799 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,238 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,677 in Kuching.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 9% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$2.89 MYR 11.42

148.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$20.23 MYR 79.9

97.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$4.76 MYR 18.81

35.71%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$2.57 MYR 10.15

-24.90%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$0.71 MYR 2.81

70.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.30 MYR 1.17

173.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$2.75 MYR 10.87

-34.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$3.58 MYR 14.13

-7.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.94 MYR 7.68

-47.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.12 MYR 4.44

44.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.07 MYR 4.21

34.58%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.18 MYR 8.61

-3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$9.35 MYR 36.93

-3.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$3.74 MYR 14.76

-10.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$8.02 MYR 31.69

-16.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$3.07 MYR 12.12

-34.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.11 MYR 4.37

22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$2.53 MYR 9.99

-54.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.77 MYR 6.98

-8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.15 MYR 4.56

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.20 MYR 4.72

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$1.67 MYR 6.60

-55.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.52 MYR 2.07

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$4.17 MYR 16.47

-49.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$21.61 MYR 85.4

-53.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$3.84 MYR 15.15

-72.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$3.51 MYR 13.87

-32.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.23 MYR 0.90

313.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$11.59 MYR 45.77

274.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$0.98 MYR 3.88

2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$1.09 MYR 4.32

-30.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$1.85 MYR 7.31

207.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$0.47 MYR 1.84

140.43%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$44.7K MYR 176.5K

-43.07%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$37.3K MYR 147.3K

-22.01%

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

$71.6 R$356

$42.29 MYR 167

69.35%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$8.83 MYR 34.86

51.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$25.43 MYR 100

-19.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$29.59 MYR 117

-14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$9.61 MYR 37.95

127.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$4.67 MYR 18.46

52.89%

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

$483 R$2,402

$141 MYR 559

241.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,132 MYR 24.2K

149.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$65.0 MYR 257

-9.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$32.44 MYR 128

28.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$86.6 MYR 342

-21.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$73.0 MYR 288

-11.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$279 MYR 1,103

45.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$203 MYR 802

25.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$564 MYR 2,227

71.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$392 MYR 1,548

43.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$2,160 MYR 8,534

24.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,556 MYR 6,145

15.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

$555 MYR 2,192

37.05%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $279 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 37% 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: $40 in Brasilia vs $20 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $244, 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 9% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $799 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 37% 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: $407 in Brasilia versus $279 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 $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Brasilia versus $799 in Kuching – a 9% 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 9% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.