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: $656 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Bukit Mertajam versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,777 in Bukit Mertajam versus $4,307 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 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$15.75 €13.64

-88.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.07 MYR 81.9

$63.5 €55.0

-68.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.79 MYR 15.48

$10.45 €9.05

-63.73%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.22

$2.91 €2.52

-22.34%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$2.29 €1.98

-68.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$1.50 €1.30

-77.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MYR 12.39

$3.56 €3.09

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.76

$3.96 €3.43

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MYR 6.55

$1.08 €0.94

48.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.57

$1.76 €1.53

-36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$1.70 €1.47

-67.06%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.74

$3.25 €2.81

-41.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.77 MYR 93.0

$13.25 €11.47

71.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 MYR 20.35

$7.70 €6.67

-35.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 MYR 43.38

$15.77 €13.66

-32.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 MYR 16.38

$2.28 €1.97

75.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.05

$1.66 €1.43

4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 14.04

$2.02 €1.75

70.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.32

$2.47 €2.14

2.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.96

$1.79 €1.55

-5.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$2.07 €1.79

-52.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.59

$1.97 €1.71

-43.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.83 €0.72

-60.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 17.23

$6.55 €5.68

-35.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.26 MYR 74.6

$5.57 €4.82

227.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$1.33 €1.15

220.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.77

$3.01 €2.60

-12.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$2.27 €1.97

-70.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 48.97

$46.35 €40.14

-74.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$4.23 €3.66

-72.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$0.85 €0.73

32.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 MYR 17.25

$18.83 €16.31

-77.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$2.02 €1.75

-75.25%

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

$43.9K MYR 179.3K

$35.0K €30.3K

25.60%

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

$30.8K MYR 125.8K

$39.6K €34.3K

-22.27%

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

$26.62 MYR 109

$148 €128

-82.01%

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

$9.67 MYR 39.47

$20.52 €17.77

-52.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.14 MYR 115

$39.52 €34.23

-28.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 MYR 150

$48.17 €41.72

-23.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 24.43

$18.39 €15.92

-67.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MYR 17.54

$9.10 €7.88

-52.86%

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

$117 MYR 477

$615 €532

-80.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,237 MYR 17.3K

$16.3K €14.1K

-73.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.65 MYR 47.56

$102 €88.0

-88.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.7 MYR 264

$42.09 €36.45

53.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.16 MYR 94.6

$92.3 €79.9

-74.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 MYR 321

$122 €106

-35.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,583

$1,612 €1,396

-75.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 MYR 245

$1,254 €1,086

-95.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,599

$3,069 €2,658

-79.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MYR 1,954

$2,037 €1,764

-76.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,267

$1,602 €1,387

-65.33%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Bukit Mertajam and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 188% 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 $298 vs $267, 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 248% in total monthly costs ($656 vs $2,280 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 188% lower in Lisbon. 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: $388 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,612 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 $656 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 248% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,280 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 248% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.