Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipoh and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipoh and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Ipoh versus $863 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Ipoh versus $1,429 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Ipoh versus $1,995 in Brasilia.

Living in Ipoh is roughly 2% more expensive than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ipoh 34% lower, Brasilia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 MYR 10.67

$7.42 R$37.67

-64.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 MYR 77.9

$38.98 R$198

-51.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 MYR 15.78

$6.14 R$31.14

-37.13%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.11

$1.92 R$9.75

16.15%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$1.18 R$5.97

-38.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.83 R$4.20

-56.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 MYR 14.63

$1.78 R$9.04

101.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 17.97

$3.33 R$16.91

32.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.45

$0.95 R$4.83

91.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$1.63 R$8.27

-36.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.46 R$7.42

-9.59%

Eggs

$1.92 MYR 7.83

$2.08 R$10.57

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.93 MYR 52.8

$9.40 R$47.72

37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 MYR 21.02

$3.39 R$17.20

51.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 MYR 31.47

$6.71 R$34.06

14.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.93

$1.93 R$9.77

51.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.28

$1.36 R$6.93

30.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 MYR 12.52

$1.16 R$5.88

164.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.66

$1.67 R$8.49

26.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.95

$1.24 R$6.31

17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.71

$1.31 R$6.62

6.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 MYR 6.77

$0.73 R$3.73

127.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.75

$0.67 R$3.40

-35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.57

$2.17 R$11.04

98.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.83 MYR 68.7

$8.06 R$40.92

108.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 MYR 14.04

$1.10 R$5.60

212.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 18.07

$2.28 R$11.59

94.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.97 R$4.93

-27.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.04

$43.32 R$220

-72.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$0.95 R$4.82

23.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$0.79 R$4.03

39.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$5.83 R$29.59

-27.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$1.14 R$5.78

-58.77%

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

$43.1K MYR 175.8K

$25.2K R$128.0K

70.76%

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

$31.5K MYR 128.5K

$29.2K R$148.0K

7.90%

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

$63.9 MYR 261

$71.8 R$364

-10.95%

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

$9.34 MYR 38.13

$13.11 R$66.5

-28.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.24 MYR 115

$20.49 R$104

37.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.18 MYR 94.7

$24.96 R$127

-7.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 MYR 23.92

$21.52 R$109

-72.77%

Cinema Ticket

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$7.34 R$37.27

-59.26%

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

$119 MYR 486

$485 R$2,462

-75.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,390 MYR 9,758

$15.2K R$77.1K

-84.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$58.1 R$295

3.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.03 MYR 110

$42.02 R$213

-35.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 MYR 313

$67.7 R$344

13.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 MYR 216

$64.3 R$326

-17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,566

$400 R$2,031

-4.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,113

$262 R$1,330

3.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,608

$944 R$4,788

-32.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,917

$557 R$2,825

-15.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,337 MYR 9,543

$2,466 R$12.5K

-5.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,286 MYR 5,253

$1,727 R$8,762

-25.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$936 MYR 3,824

$919 R$4,666

1.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

11.87

-66.64%

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

Last update for Ipoh: July 25, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Ipoh and $400 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ipoh pays 2% 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: $19.00 in Ipoh vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 vs $180, 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

Ipoh vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ipoh and Brasilia differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $863 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Ipoh, 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: $384 in Ipoh versus $400 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 $19.00 in Ipoh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $883 per month in Ipoh versus $863 in Brasilia – a 2% 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, Ipoh 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 2% less than in Ipoh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.