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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bukit Mertajam versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Bukit Mertajam versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 71% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bukit Mertajam is 51% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$15.94 €13.73

-88.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 MYR 80.9

$63.4 €54.6

-68.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 MYR 15.02

$10.38 €8.95

-64.35%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$2.79 €2.40

-20.07%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$2.34 €2.01

-68.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$1.57 €1.35

-78.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MYR 12.74

$3.43 €2.95

-8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MYR 19.04

$3.91 €3.37

20.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$1.08 €0.93

54.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.40

$1.77 €1.52

-38.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$1.71 €1.47

-67.25%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$3.15 €2.71

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 MYR 92.3

$13.68 €11.79

66.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$8.01 €6.90

-37.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 MYR 42.28

$15.52 €13.37

-32.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 MYR 15.75

$2.29 €1.98

69.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.64 €1.41

7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 14.10

$1.94 €1.67

79.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.77

$2.51 €2.17

5.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.12

$1.79 €1.54

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.04

$2.01 €1.73

-50.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$1.97 €1.69

-43.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.84 €0.73

-57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$6.79 €5.85

-36.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 MYR 76.7

$5.67 €4.89

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.34

$1.39 €1.20

207.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MYR 10.59

$3.02 €2.60

-13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$2.27 €1.95

-69.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 47.83

$45.44 €39.15

-74.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$4.29 €3.70

-72.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.59

$0.85 €0.73

32.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 MYR 17.25

$18.28 €15.75

-76.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.99 €1.71

-76.88%

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

$44.2K MYR 179.3K

$35.0K €30.2K

26.18%

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

$31.2K MYR 126.7K

$39.5K €34.1K

-21.00%

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

$26.68 MYR 108

$146 €126

-81.75%

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

$9.95 MYR 40.36

$20.45 €17.62

-51.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.90 MYR 117

$38.98 €33.58

-25.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 151

$48.98 €42.21

-23.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 23.99

$18.83 €16.22

-68.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MYR 16.85

$9.52 €8.21

-56.30%

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

$119 MYR 483

$608 €524

-80.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,260 MYR 17.3K

$16.5K €14.2K

-74.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.98 MYR 48.58

$104 €89.5

-88.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 MYR 256

$42.12 €36.29

50.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.23 MYR 94.2

$92.2 €79.5

-74.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 MYR 317

$120 €103

-34.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$1,621 €1,397

-75.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.8 MYR 238

$1,268 €1,092

-95.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,662

$3,048 €2,626

-78.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,936

$2,009 €1,731

-76.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$990 MYR 4,016

$1,585 €1,366

-37.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.81

3.94%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Bukit Mertajam and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 60% 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 Bukit Mertajam vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $269, with Lisbon 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Lisbon differ by about 242% in total monthly costs ($661 vs $2,263 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 60% 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: $391 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,621 in Lisbon. 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $661 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,263 in Lisbon – a 242% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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 Lisbon 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 242% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.