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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Buzau is roughly 70% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 RON 54.9

$1.92 MYR 7.61

532.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.99 RON 113

$19.84 MYR 78.7

25.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 RON 26.62

$3.73 MYR 14.79

57.91%

Cappuccino

$2.70 RON 12.20

$2.34 MYR 9.29

15.38%

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

$1.98 RON 8.97

$0.69 MYR 2.73

186.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$0.34 MYR 1.34

361.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.83

$3.08 MYR 12.19

6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 RON 15.69

$4.64 MYR 18.39

-25.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.66

$1.62 MYR 6.44

-9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.13 MYR 4.47

19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$0.58 MYR 2.28

206.90%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.14

$1.85 MYR 7.34

81.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 RON 39.51

$22.54 MYR 89.4

-61.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$4.93 MYR 19.54

40.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 RON 46.27

$10.41 MYR 41.29

-1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$3.85 MYR 15.28

-76.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.97

$1.72 MYR 6.83

-10.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.34

$3.32 MYR 13.14

-64.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.91

$2.66 MYR 10.56

-34.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.95

$1.76 MYR 6.98

-50.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$1.00 MYR 3.98

7.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 RON 2.73

$1.13 MYR 4.49

-46.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 RON 2.74

$0.33 MYR 1.33

84.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.60 RON 25.33

$4.13 MYR 16.37

35.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.85

$19.25 MYR 76.3

-65.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 RON 4.80

$4.35 MYR 17.26

-75.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$2.61 MYR 10.35

-34.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$0.69 MYR 2.75

-2.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 RON 87.4

$11.92 MYR 47.26

62.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.93

$1.20 MYR 4.74

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.40

$1.15 MYR 4.54

-34.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 RON 31.41

$4.41 MYR 17.48

57.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.40

$0.49 MYR 1.96

234.69%

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

$21.1K RON 95.2K

$43.0K MYR 170.6K

-51.07%

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

$23.4K RON 105.6K

$32.0K MYR 126.8K

-26.95%

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

$125 RON 566

$26.96 MYR 107

364.13%

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

$6.43 RON 29.08

$9.44 MYR 37.44

-31.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.05 RON 40.93

$28.04 MYR 111

-67.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.13 RON 168

$37.01 MYR 147

0.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 RON 90.5

$5.81 MYR 23.02

244.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 RON 26.79

$4.26 MYR 16.90

39.20%

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

$334 RON 1,512

$120 MYR 474

179.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,544 RON 29.6K

$4,316 MYR 17.1K

51.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 RON 275

$11.89 MYR 47.16

411.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.04 RON 195

$62.3 MYR 247

-30.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 RON 429

$23.71 MYR 94.0

300.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 RON 447

$78.0 MYR 309

26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 2,010

$379 MYR 1,504

17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 RON 1,643

$58.8 MYR 233

517.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 RON 2,813

$644 MYR 2,555

-3.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,123

$468 MYR 1,855

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)

$902 RON 4,076

$987 MYR 3,912

-8.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

3.96

94.44%

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

Last update for Buzau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Buzau and $379 in Bukit Mertajam. 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: $25.00 in Buzau vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $298, 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

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

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

On paper, Bukit Mertajam earns 9% 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: $445 in Buzau versus $379 in Bukit Mertajam. 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 $1,096 per month in Buzau versus $646 in Bukit Mertajam – 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, Buzau and Bukit Mertajam 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.