Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Buzau Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Buzau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,096 in Buzau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,207 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,581 in Buzau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,768 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,066 in Buzau.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 41% less than in Buzau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 52% lower, Buzau 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.92 MYR 7.61

$12.14 RON 54.9

-84.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 MYR 78.7

$24.99 RON 113

-20.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.73 MYR 14.79

$5.89 RON 26.62

-36.67%

Cappuccino

$2.34 MYR 9.29

$2.70 RON 12.20

-13.33%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.73

$1.98 RON 8.97

-65.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.34

$1.57 RON 7.11

-78.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 MYR 12.19

$3.28 RON 14.83

-6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MYR 18.39

$3.47 RON 15.69

33.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MYR 6.44

$1.47 RON 6.66

10.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.35 RON 6.12

-16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.58 MYR 2.28

$1.78 RON 8.04

-67.42%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.34

$3.35 RON 15.14

-44.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.54 MYR 89.4

$8.74 RON 39.51

157.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 MYR 19.54

$6.94 RON 31.35

-28.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.41 MYR 41.29

$10.24 RON 46.27

1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 MYR 15.28

$0.89 RON 4.04

332.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.83

$1.54 RON 6.97

11.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 MYR 13.14

$1.18 RON 5.34

181.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.56

$1.75 RON 7.91

52.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 6.98

$0.87 RON 3.95

102.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.98

$1.07 RON 4.82

-6.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.49

$0.60 RON 2.73

88.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.33

$0.61 RON 2.74

-45.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.37

$5.60 RON 25.33

-26.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.25 MYR 76.3

$6.60 RON 29.85

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.35 MYR 17.26

$1.06 RON 4.80

310.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MYR 10.35

$1.71 RON 7.75

52.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.67 RON 3.05

2.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.26

$19.34 RON 87.4

-38.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.74

$0.65 RON 2.93

84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$0.75 RON 3.40

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 MYR 17.48

$6.95 RON 31.41

-36.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$1.64 RON 7.40

-70.12%

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

$43.0K MYR 170.6K

$21.1K RON 95.2K

104.39%

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

$32.0K MYR 126.8K

$23.4K RON 105.6K

36.90%

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

$26.96 MYR 107

$125 RON 566

-78.45%

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

$9.44 MYR 37.44

$6.43 RON 29.08

46.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.04 MYR 111

$9.05 RON 40.93

209.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.01 MYR 147

$37.13 RON 168

-0.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.81 MYR 23.02

$20.02 RON 90.5

-70.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MYR 16.90

$5.93 RON 26.79

-28.16%

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

$120 MYR 474

$334 RON 1,512

-64.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,316 MYR 17.1K

$6,544 RON 29.6K

-34.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.89 MYR 47.16

$60.8 RON 275

-80.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 MYR 247

$43.04 RON 195

44.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.71 MYR 94.0

$94.9 RON 429

-75.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MYR 309

$98.9 RON 447

-21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,504

$445 RON 2,010

-14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.8 MYR 233

$364 RON 1,643

-83.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,555

$622 RON 2,813

3.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,855

$470 RON 2,123

-0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,555 RON 7,029

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 RON 5,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$987 MYR 3,912

$902 RON 4,076

9.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

7.7

-48.57%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Buzau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Bukit Mertajam and $445 in Buzau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam vs $25.00 in Buzau. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $204, with Buzau 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

Bukit Mertajam vs Buzau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Buzau differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $1,096 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bukit Mertajam pays 9% more on average, 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: $379 in Bukit Mertajam versus $445 in Buzau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $25.00 in Buzau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $646 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,096 in Buzau – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $646 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,096 in Buzau, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Buzau. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam 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, Bukit Mertajam and Buzau 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Buzau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.