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: $782 in Kuching versus $863 in Brasilia.

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

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

Living in Kuching costs roughly 9% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 MYR 11.80

$7.22 R$36.65

-59.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.12 MYR 82.3

$39.10 R$198

-48.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 19.59

$6.37 R$32.33

-24.80%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$1.86 R$9.44

37.10%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$1.17 R$5.92

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.23

$0.87 R$4.40

-65.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MYR 11.23

$1.76 R$8.94

56.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$3.16 R$16.06

15.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.79

$0.93 R$4.73

104.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$1.65 R$8.39

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.48 R$7.51

-28.38%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.18

$2.01 R$10.20

11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 MYR 38.61

$9.26 R$46.98

1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 15.28

$3.41 R$17.29

9.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 MYR 32.27

$6.89 R$34.98

14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MYR 12.40

$2.03 R$10.29

49.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.37 R$6.93

-16.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$1.16 R$5.87

125.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.62 R$8.20

9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.56

$1.23 R$6.26

-8.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.29 R$6.52

-6.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$0.75 R$3.81

134.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.15

$0.61 R$3.09

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$2.17 R$11.02

96.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.76 MYR 84.9

$8.06 R$40.91

157.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 MYR 15.51

$1.11 R$5.61

241.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 MYR 13.99

$2.27 R$11.52

50.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.97 R$4.94

-76.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 48.28

$43.81 R$222

-73.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.00 R$5.09

-4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$0.80 R$4.09

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 MYR 7.82

$5.69 R$28.90

-66.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.09 R$5.53

-57.80%

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

$45.8K MYR 187.4K

$25.3K R$128.6K

80.79%

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

$36.2K MYR 148.0K

$28.5K R$144.6K

27.01%

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

$40.93 MYR 167

$70.2 R$356

-41.71%

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

$9.27 MYR 37.91

$13.06 R$66.3

-29.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.28 MYR 103

$20.06 R$102

26.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 MYR 119

$24.64 R$125

17.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.96 MYR 40.74

$21.81 R$111

-54.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 19.11

$7.24 R$36.72

-35.50%

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

$145 MYR 592

$485 R$2,461

-70.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 25.1K

$15.1K R$76.7K

-59.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$57.3 R$291

13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.59 MYR 129

$42.20 R$214

-25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 355

$68.0 R$345

27.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 MYR 295

$63.5 R$322

13.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MYR 1,141

$412 R$2,089

-32.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 830

$263 R$1,334

-22.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,325

$973 R$4,937

-41.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,575

$563 R$2,856

-31.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 MYR 8,543

$2,508 R$12.7K

-16.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,518 MYR 6,207

$1,745 R$8,858

-13.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MYR 2,214

$928 R$4,710

-41.66%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kuching and $412 in Brasilia. 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: $20.00 in Kuching vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $179, 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 10% in total monthly costs ($782 vs $863 including rent). Kuching is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 71% 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: $279 in Kuching versus $412 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $782 per month in Kuching versus $863 in Brasilia – 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, 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 10% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.