Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $969 in George Town versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in George Town versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,259 in George Town versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in George Town costs roughly 58% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 29% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 MYR 13.72

$17.59 €15.33

-80.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.02 MYR 61.3

$62.9 €54.8

-76.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.39

$11.58 €10.10

-58.98%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$3.10 €2.70

-10.32%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$2.49 €2.17

-69.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$1.74 €1.52

-81.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MYR 9.96

$3.48 €3.03

-29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MYR 17.78

$3.44 €3.00

26.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$1.15 €1.00

56.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.91 €1.66

-42.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.89

$1.50 €1.31

12.67%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.06

$3.98 €3.47

-44.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 MYR 53.0

$13.29 €11.59

-2.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$8.01 €6.98

-46.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 MYR 35.22

$18.04 €15.73

-52.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.93

$2.35 €2.05

3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.05

$1.75 €1.53

-15.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MYR 9.13

$1.85 €1.62

21.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$2.55 €2.22

-52.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$1.84 €1.61

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.49

$2.10 €1.83

-59.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$1.49 €1.30

-48.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.82 €0.71

-34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MYR 18.84

$7.10 €6.19

-34.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 MYR 77.8

$5.91 €5.15

222.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MYR 10.26

$1.31 €1.15

91.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MYR 14.65

$2.13 €1.86

68.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$2.36 €2.05

-80.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.93 MYR 44.63

$46.62 €40.63

-76.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$4.08 €3.55

-70.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$1.14 €0.99

-58.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 MYR 27.41

$17.09 €14.90

-60.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$2.31 €2.01

-67.10%

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

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

$34.1K €29.7K

24.70%

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

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

$41.4K €36.1K

-30.69%

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

$36.69 MYR 150

$169 €147

-78.23%

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

$8.25 MYR 33.68

$19.33 €16.85

-57.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.93 MYR 122

$33.51 €29.21

-10.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.24 MYR 168

$48.84 €42.57

-15.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.77 MYR 19.49

$19.43 €16.94

-75.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 MYR 19.23

$9.57 €8.34

-50.78%

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

$175 MYR 715

$696 €607

-74.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

$17.4K €15.1K

-71.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 MYR 225

$105 €91.8

-47.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 MYR 140

$47.75 €41.62

-27.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 MYR 298

$101 €87.6

-27.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 MYR 291

$124 €108

-42.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,034

$1,662 €1,449

-70.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,524

$1,246 €1,086

-70.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 MYR 3,750

$2,965 €2,584

-69.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 MYR 4,001

$2,049 €1,786

-52.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MYR 4,414

$1,632 €1,422

-33.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

3.78

12.17%

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

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in George Town and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 51% 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: $15.00 in George Town vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $277 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

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

George Town vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 51% 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: $498 in George Town versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 327% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $175 in George Town versus $696 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $969 in George Town versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.