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: $891 in Cuenca versus $862 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,325 in Cuenca versus $1,428 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,759 in Cuenca versus $1,993 in Brasilia.

Living in Cuenca is roughly 3% more expensive than Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cuenca 34% lower, Brasilia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 $3.40

$7.02 R$35.12

-51.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.57 $24.57

$38.86 R$194

-36.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 $7.13

$6.32 R$31.64

12.82%

Cappuccino

$2.48 $2.48

$1.96 R$9.80

26.53%

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

$0.83 $0.83

$1.18 R$5.89

-29.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.86 R$4.30

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.85 R$9.28

7.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.18 R$15.89

12.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.99 R$4.98

14.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.60 R$7.99

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.41 R$7.06

8.51%

Eggs

$2.09 $2.09

$2.04 R$10.19

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$9.45 R$47.31

-42.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$3.40 R$17.01

61.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$7.04 R$35.21

-11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.96 R$9.82

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.40 R$7.02

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.20 R$6.02

2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.66 R$8.29

-36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.24 R$6.20

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.31 R$6.53

-19.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.81 R$4.03

-43.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.63 R$3.15

65.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.13 R$10.66

167.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 $10.33

$9.02 R$45.16

14.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.10 R$5.53

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.39 R$11.95

38.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$1.03 R$5.15

-67.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.98 $26.98

$44.41 R$222

-39.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.94 R$4.72

-27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.81 R$4.03

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 $13.64

$5.57 R$27.88

144.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.12 R$5.61

-43.75%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$25.0K R$125.2K

21.64%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$29.1K R$145.7K

-2.91%

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

$39.61 $39.61

$72.2 R$361

-45.16%

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

$13.71 $13.71

$13.08 R$65.5

4.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 $31.29

$20.40 R$102

53.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.47 $29.47

$24.97 R$125

18.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 $5.30

$21.29 R$107

-75.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 $7.46

$7.08 R$35.42

5.37%

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

$250 $250

$488 R$2,444

-48.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,599 $5,599

$15.0K R$75.0K

-62.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 $55.2

$58.3 R$292

-5.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 $54.5

$41.97 R$210

29.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 $99.7

$69.8 R$349

42.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 $65.6

$65.2 R$327

0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 $370

$408 R$2,040

-9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 $325

$260 R$1,302

24.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 $674

$949 R$4,747

-28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 $503

$562 R$2,811

-10.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,245 $1,245

$2,540 R$12.7K

-50.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$827 $827

$1,714 R$8,576

-51.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$537 $537

$846 R$4,235

-36.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.87

-3.29%

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

Last update for Cuenca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Cuenca and $408 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Cuenca vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $183, 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

Cuenca vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuenca and Brasilia differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($891 vs $862 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brasilia earns 58% less. 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: $370 in Cuenca versus $408 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $25.00 in Cuenca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $891 per month in Cuenca versus $862 in Brasilia – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Brasilia 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, 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 Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Cuenca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.