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: $969 in Brasilia versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Brasilia versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,132 in Brasilia versus $1,852 in Kuching.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 R$45.40

$3.53 MYR 14.31

152.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 R$197

$25.07 MYR 102

54.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 R$43.21

$4.93 MYR 19.99

72.21%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.14

$3.35 MYR 13.60

-22.99%

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

$1.41 R$7.16

$0.80 MYR 3.23

76.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.58

$0.39 MYR 1.56

130.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$11.98

$4.63 MYR 18.79

-49.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 R$19.68

$6.06 MYR 24.60

-36.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.49

$2.33 MYR 9.45

-53.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.35

$1.20 MYR 4.87

69.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.53

$1.22 MYR 4.94

4.92%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.36

$2.56 MYR 10.37

-5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 R$60.1

$11.49 MYR 46.62

2.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R$20.93

$4.44 MYR 18.00

-7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.13

$9.68 MYR 39.28

-12.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 R$12.29

$3.36 MYR 13.65

-27.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$1.33 MYR 5.42

9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.50

$2.45 MYR 9.93

-47.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.39

$1.86 MYR 7.56

-11.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$1.57 MYR 6.35

-26.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.43

$1.15 MYR 4.68

-6.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.00

$1.59 MYR 6.44

-50.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.81

$0.55 MYR 2.25

72.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.20

$4.80 MYR 19.48

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 R$41.85

$21.20 MYR 86.0

-61.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.22

$4.07 MYR 16.52

-70.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$11.93

$5.07 MYR 20.58

-53.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.06

$0.63 MYR 2.57

58.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$178

$12.58 MYR 51.1

178.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.43

$0.96 MYR 3.89

11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.69

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-26.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$30.75

$8.85 MYR 35.90

-31.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.68

$0.85 MYR 3.46

54.12%

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

$23.3K R$118.7K

$42.5K MYR 172.3K

-45.08%

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

$31.9K R$162.4K

$36.7K MYR 149.0K

-13.10%

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

$96.4 R$491

$35.37 MYR 143

172.63%

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

$12.61 R$64.1

$10.29 MYR 41.76

22.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$111

$24.25 MYR 98.4

-10.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$158

$30.72 MYR 125

1.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$137

$12.25 MYR 49.71

120.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.07

$4.91 MYR 19.91

56.42%

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

$822 R$4,181

$135 MYR 549

506.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$83.6K

$7,205 MYR 29.2K

128.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$263

$63.4 MYR 257

-18.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.32 R$220

$37.96 MYR 154

14.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 R$424

$90.7 MYR 368

-8.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R$440

$66.9 MYR 271

29.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,434

$371 MYR 1,506

28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,311

$240 MYR 975

7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 R$5,675

$648 MYR 2,627

72.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,833

$454 MYR 1,840

22.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.5K

$2,112 MYR 8,569

16.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,893

$1,552 MYR 6,296

12.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,294

$548 MYR 2,223

54.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

4.37

177.35%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Brasilia and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 54% 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 $25.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $273, 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 ($969 vs $889 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 54% 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: $479 in Brasilia versus $371 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 $25.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Brasilia versus $889 in Kuching – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $969 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching 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 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.