Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $799 in Kuching versus $870 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,238 in Kuching versus $1,408 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,677 in Kuching versus $1,946 in Brasilia.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 8% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 40% lower, Brasilia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 MYR 11.42

$7.18 R$35.71

-59.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 79.9

$39.91 R$198

-49.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 MYR 18.81

$6.46 R$32.11

-26.32%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MYR 10.15

$1.93 R$9.58

33.16%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.81

$1.21 R$5.99

-41.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.17

$0.82 R$4.07

-63.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MYR 10.87

$1.81 R$9.02

51.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MYR 14.13

$3.32 R$16.51

7.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 MYR 7.68

$1.01 R$5.04

92.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.44

$1.62 R$8.04

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.21

$1.44 R$7.16

-25.69%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.61

$2.10 R$10.45

3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 MYR 36.93

$9.01 R$44.76

3.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 14.76

$3.33 R$16.53

12.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 MYR 31.69

$6.66 R$33.09

20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 MYR 12.12

$2.01 R$9.96

52.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.37

$1.36 R$6.74

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 9.99

$1.16 R$5.79

118.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 6.98

$1.62 R$8.03

9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$1.24 R$6.16

-7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.72

$1.29 R$6.41

-6.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 MYR 6.60

$0.74 R$3.69

125.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.07

$0.62 R$3.09

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.47

$2.11 R$10.49

97.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.61 MYR 85.4

$10.00 R$49.69

116.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.15

$1.06 R$5.26

262.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.87

$2.36 R$11.74

48.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.90

$0.95 R$4.72

-75.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 45.77

$43.46 R$216

-73.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.00 R$4.98

-2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.32

$0.76 R$3.76

43.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 MYR 7.31

$5.69 R$28.27

-67.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$1.13 R$5.60

-58.41%

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

$44.7K MYR 176.5K

$25.4K R$126.4K

75.65%

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

$37.3K MYR 147.3K

$29.1K R$144.5K

28.22%

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

$42.29 MYR 167

$71.6 R$356

-40.95%

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

$8.83 MYR 34.86

$13.41 R$66.7

-34.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.43 MYR 100

$20.52 R$102

23.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.59 MYR 117

$25.34 R$126

16.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.61 MYR 37.95

$21.88 R$109

-56.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.46

$7.14 R$35.50

-34.59%

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

$141 MYR 559

$483 R$2,402

-70.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,132 MYR 24.2K

$15.3K R$76.1K

-59.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 MYR 257

$58.6 R$291

11.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.44 MYR 128

$41.60 R$207

-22.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 MYR 342

$68.1 R$339

27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 288

$65.0 R$323

12.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MYR 1,103

$407 R$2,021

-31.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 802

$254 R$1,262

-20.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 MYR 2,227

$965 R$4,795

-41.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,548

$561 R$2,787

-30.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,160 MYR 8,534

$2,683 R$13.3K

-19.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

$1,795 R$8,923

-13.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,192

$760 R$3,779

-27.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

11.87

-64.03%

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

Last update for Kuching: April 19, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kuching and $407 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 37% 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: $20 in Kuching vs $40 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $182, 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

Kuching vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching and Brasilia differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($799 vs $870 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brasilia earns 37% 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: $279 in Kuching versus $407 in Brasilia. 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 $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $799 per month in Kuching versus $870 in Brasilia – a 9% 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, Kuching 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 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.