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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,220 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,946 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,672 in Shanghai.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 48% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 52% lower, Shanghai 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 MYR 7.32

$4.73 ¥32.39

-60.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 MYR 80.0

$36.90 ¥253

-45.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 MYR 15.09

$5.41 ¥37.03

-29.39%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.19

$3.42 ¥23.41

-31.87%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.55 ¥3.76

34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.34 ¥2.32

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$1.41 ¥9.63

114.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MYR 18.71

$2.87 ¥19.67

65.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.63

$2.08 ¥14.23

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.80 ¥12.30

-37.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 MYR 2.41

$1.05 ¥7.18

-41.90%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.34

$1.63 ¥11.14

14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.05 MYR 87.1

$15.36 ¥105

43.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 MYR 19.27

$3.08 ¥21.10

58.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.64

$10.97 ¥75.1

-3.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.27

$2.37 ¥16.24

62.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 6.97

$1.77 ¥12.13

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.41

$1.73 ¥11.88

96.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$1.47 ¥10.05

74.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.75

$0.78 ¥5.37

119.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.13 ¥7.71

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.22

$0.68 ¥4.63

57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.60 ¥4.10

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.55

$2.82 ¥19.28

48.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.23 MYR 76.0

$11.86 ¥81.2

62.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.23 MYR 16.70

$0.80 ¥5.45

428.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 MYR 10.10

$1.60 ¥10.98

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.44 ¥3.00

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.00

$35.13 ¥241

-66.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$2.20 ¥15.09

-47.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.41 ¥2.80

180.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$8.25 ¥56.5

-49.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.10 ¥7.56

-54.55%

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

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

$19.8K ¥135.7K

122.46%

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

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

$18.1K ¥124.2K

73.24%

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

$26.25 MYR 104

$51.3 ¥351

-48.81%

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

$9.95 MYR 39.29

$8.47 ¥58.0

17.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.38 MYR 112

$13.92 ¥95.4

103.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 MYR 143

$46.61 ¥319

-22.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.72

$20.15 ¥138

-70.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$8.26 ¥56.6

-47.94%

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

$117 MYR 461

$1,309 ¥8,969

-91.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

$32.0K ¥219.3K

-86.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.96 MYR 47.25

$58.2 ¥399

-79.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 MYR 249

$38.09 ¥261

65.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.31 MYR 92.1

$78.9 ¥540

-70.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 MYR 316

$96.4 ¥660

-17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,514

$963 ¥6,595

-60.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.0 MYR 233

$563 ¥3,859

-89.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,556

$2,490 ¥17.1K

-74.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$1,197 ¥8,198

-60.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥94.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,279 ¥49.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MYR 3,853

$1,671 ¥11.4K

-41.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.58

10.61%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Bukit Mertajam and $963 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai 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 Bukit Mertajam vs $37.00 in Shanghai. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $226, with Shanghai 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 Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Shanghai differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($639 vs $1,220 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Shanghai earns 71% 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: $383 in Bukit Mertajam versus $963 in Shanghai. 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 $37.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $639 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,220 in Shanghai – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,220 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. 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 Shanghai 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 91% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.