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: $863 in Brasilia versus $782 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Brasilia versus $1,204 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Brasilia versus $1,625 in Kuching.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Kuching 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 R$36.65

$2.89 MYR 11.80

149.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 R$198

$20.12 MYR 82.3

94.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.33

$4.79 MYR 19.59

32.99%

Cappuccino

$1.86 R$9.44

$2.55 MYR 10.43

-27.06%

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

$1.17 R$5.92

$0.72 MYR 2.93

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.40

$0.30 MYR 1.23

190.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.94

$2.75 MYR 11.23

-36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.06

$3.64 MYR 14.87

-13.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.73

$1.90 MYR 7.79

-51.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 R$8.39

$1.10 MYR 4.49

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.51

$1.06 MYR 4.32

39.62%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.20

$2.25 MYR 9.18

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.98

$9.44 MYR 38.61

-1.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R$17.29

$3.74 MYR 15.28

-8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 R$34.98

$7.89 MYR 32.27

-12.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.29

$3.03 MYR 12.40

-33.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.93

$1.14 MYR 4.67

20.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.87

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-55.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.20

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.26

$1.12 MYR 4.56

9.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.52

$1.20 MYR 4.89

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.81

$1.76 MYR 7.19

-57.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.09

$0.52 MYR 2.15

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.02

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-49.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.91

$20.76 MYR 84.9

-61.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.61

$3.79 MYR 15.51

-70.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.52

$3.42 MYR 13.99

-33.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.94

$0.23 MYR 0.94

321.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 R$222

$11.81 MYR 48.28

270.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.09

$0.96 MYR 3.93

4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R$4.09

$1.15 MYR 4.71

-30.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.90

$1.91 MYR 7.82

197.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.53

$0.46 MYR 1.89

136.96%

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

$25.3K R$128.6K

$45.8K MYR 187.4K

-44.69%

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

$28.5K R$144.6K

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

-21.26%

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

$70.2 R$356

$40.93 MYR 167

71.56%

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

$13.06 R$66.3

$9.27 MYR 37.91

40.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 R$102

$25.28 MYR 103

-20.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$125

$29.07 MYR 119

-15.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$111

$9.96 MYR 40.74

118.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 R$36.72

$4.67 MYR 19.11

55.03%

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

$485 R$2,461

$145 MYR 592

235.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$76.7K

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

145.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R$291

$65.1 MYR 266

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$214

$31.59 MYR 129

33.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$345

$86.8 MYR 355

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R$322

$72.1 MYR 295

-12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,089

$279 MYR 1,141

47.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,334

$203 MYR 830

29.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 R$4,937

$569 MYR 2,325

71.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 R$2,856

$385 MYR 1,575

46.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 R$12.7K

$2,089 MYR 8,543

20.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 R$8,858

$1,518 MYR 6,207

14.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,710

$541 MYR 2,214

71.40%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $279 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 71% 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 $179 vs $242, 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 10% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $782 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $412 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. 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 $782 in Kuching – a 10% 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 10% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.