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: $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,206 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,958 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,710 in Shanghai.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 45% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 51% lower, Shanghai 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$4.75 ¥32.12

-59.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 MYR 80.9

$36.31 ¥246

-45.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 MYR 15.02

$5.42 ¥36.62

-31.73%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$3.54 ¥23.97

-37.01%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.54 ¥3.67

37.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.33 ¥2.26

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MYR 12.74

$1.42 ¥9.61

121.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MYR 19.04

$2.77 ¥18.73

69.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$2.09 ¥14.11

-20.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.40

$1.85 ¥12.52

-41.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$1.07 ¥7.22

-47.66%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$1.69 ¥11.45

11.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 MYR 92.3

$15.46 ¥105

47.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$3.22 ¥21.74

56.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 MYR 42.28

$10.81 ¥73.1

-3.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 MYR 15.75

$2.27 ¥15.35

70.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.74 ¥11.78

1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 14.10

$1.71 ¥11.57

103.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.77

$1.51 ¥10.20

76.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.12

$0.86 ¥5.80

104.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.04

$1.15 ¥7.79

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$0.67 ¥4.55

65.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.55 ¥3.73

-34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$2.76 ¥18.64

56.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 MYR 76.7

$11.94 ¥80.7

58.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.34

$0.79 ¥5.35

441.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MYR 10.59

$1.57 ¥10.63

66.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.41 ¥2.77

68.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 47.83

$35.46 ¥240

-66.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$2.18 ¥14.75

-44.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.59

$0.41 ¥2.76

175.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 MYR 17.25

$8.37 ¥56.6

-49.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.10 ¥7.42

-58.18%

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

$44.2K MYR 179.3K

$19.4K ¥130.9K

128.42%

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

$31.2K MYR 126.7K

$18.0K ¥121.9K

73.26%

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

$26.68 MYR 108

$52.7 ¥356

-49.35%

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

$9.95 MYR 40.36

$8.84 ¥59.8

12.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.90 MYR 117

$13.62 ¥92.1

112.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 151

$46.97 ¥318

-20.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 23.99

$20.24 ¥137

-70.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MYR 16.85

$8.40 ¥56.8

-50.48%

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

$119 MYR 483

$1,274 ¥8,617

-90.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,260 MYR 17.3K

$31.0K ¥209.3K

-86.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.98 MYR 48.58

$58.3 ¥394

-79.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 MYR 256

$37.30 ¥252

69.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.23 MYR 94.2

$78.1 ¥528

-70.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 MYR 317

$97.5 ¥660

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$941 ¥6,361

-58.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.8 MYR 238

$566 ¥3,827

-89.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,662

$2,538 ¥17.2K

-74.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,936

$1,179 ¥7,976

-59.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K ¥97.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,836 ¥46.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$990 MYR 4,016

$1,653 ¥11.2K

-40.09%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Bukit Mertajam and $941 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 67% 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 $36.00 in Shanghai. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $227, 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 83% in total monthly costs ($661 vs $1,206 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Shanghai earns 67% 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 $941 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 $36.00 in Shanghai. 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 $1,206 in Shanghai – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,206 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 83% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.