Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Cuenca versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,422 in Cuenca versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Cuenca versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Cuenca costs roughly 1% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cuenca 31% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 $3.44

$8.61 R$43.93

-60.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 $30.33

$39.06 R$199

-22.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 $7.89

$8.00 R$40.79

-1.38%

Cappuccino

$2.56 $2.56

$2.55 R$12.98

0.39%

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

$0.69 $0.69

$1.45 R$7.40

-52.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.96 R$4.92

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.26 R$11.52

-10.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.89 R$19.85

-20.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.07 R$5.45

-1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.04 R$10.40

-24.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.26 R$6.42

42.86%

Eggs

$2.20 $2.20

$2.44 R$12.45

-9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$12.06 R$61.5

-55.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$4.06 R$20.72

34.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$8.24 R$42.05

-15.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.34 R$11.96

-18.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.42 R$7.24

-23.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.27 R$6.49

29.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.65 R$8.44

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.16 R$5.90

32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.01 R$5.15

0.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.83 R$4.23

-25.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.98 R$4.98

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.39 R$12.16

118.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 $10.04

$7.99 R$40.75

25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.30 R$6.64

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.40 R$12.22

38.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 $0.30

$0.92 R$4.67

-67.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.32 $23.32

$35.15 R$179

-33.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.05 R$5.36

-5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.85 R$4.35

25.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 $11.16

$5.97 R$30.43

86.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.28 R$6.53

-35.94%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$22.6K R$115.4K

11.85%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$32.1K R$163.7K

-6.94%

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

$36.60 $36.60

$91.1 R$464

-59.80%

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

$12.17 $12.17

$12.43 R$63.4

-2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.61 $26.61

$22.55 R$115

18.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.88 $28.88

$31.51 R$161

-8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.15 $5.15

$26.35 R$134

-80.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 $7.33

$7.86 R$40.06

-6.74%

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

$217 $217

$813 R$4,147

-73.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,919 $6,919

$16.3K R$83.2K

-57.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 $68.4

$52.2 R$266

30.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.11 $46.11

$43.67 R$223

5.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$82.7 R$422

34.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 $74.9

$86.5 R$441

-13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 $468

$500 R$2,551

-6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 $362

$266 R$1,357

36.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 $664

$1,133 R$5,778

-41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 $566

$562 R$2,865

0.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,248 $1,248

$2,411 R$12.3K

-48.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$851 $851

$1,705 R$8,695

-50.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$563 $563

$876 R$4,467

-35.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.95

11.8

-7.20%

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

Last update for Cuenca: August 29, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Cuenca and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 56% 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: $30.00 in Cuenca vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $209 per month, with Cuenca cheaper across the board.

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

Cuenca vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuenca and Brasilia differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($950 vs $957 including rent). Cuenca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Brasilia. 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: $468 in Cuenca versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuenca – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Cuenca versus $957 in Brasilia – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Cuenca versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuenca but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Cuenca 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, Cuenca and Brasilia 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 Cuenca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.