Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipoh and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipoh and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $883 per month in Ipoh vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Ipoh vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,737 per month in Ipoh vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Ipoh is about 60% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ipoh sits 34% below the global median, while Lisbon is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 MYR 10.15

$15.91 €13.69

-83.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 74.2

$64.8 €55.7

-71.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.79 MYR 15.01

$10.51 €9.04

-63.94%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 8.97

$2.87 €2.47

-21.25%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$2.24 €1.93

-67.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.34

$1.50 €1.29

-77.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 13.91

$3.49 €3.00

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.58

$3.88 €3.34

14.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.32

$1.14 €0.98

62.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$1.75 €1.51

-44.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.20

$1.76 €1.51

-25.57%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.26

$3.22 €2.77

-43.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 MYR 52.1

$13.49 €11.61

-2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 MYR 20.76

$7.91 €6.81

-33.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 MYR 29.65

$15.87 €13.65

-52.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$2.31 €1.99

28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.18

$1.70 €1.46

6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 11.83

$2.01 €1.73

48.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.31

$2.46 €2.12

-14.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.72

$1.84 €1.59

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.59

$2.00 €1.72

-29.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 MYR 6.57

$1.93 €1.66

-13.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.79 €0.68

-45.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.50

$6.61 €5.68

-37.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.57 MYR 69.7

$5.72 €4.92

207.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 MYR 13.70

$1.37 €1.17

152.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MYR 16.66

$2.97 €2.56

41.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$2.37 €2.04

-71.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 46.63

$45.56 €39.19

-74.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.57

$4.29 €3.69

-73.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$0.82 €0.70

39.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 MYR 16.76

$18.30 €15.74

-76.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$2.06 €1.78

-77.67%

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

$43.5K MYR 172.3K

$34.3K €29.5K

26.80%

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

$30.8K MYR 122.1K

$39.3K €33.8K

-21.62%

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

$64.2 MYR 255

$148 €127

-56.58%

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

$9.34 MYR 37.02

$20.52 €17.65

-54.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.35 MYR 112

$39.61 €34.08

-28.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.45 MYR 93.0

$47.85 €41.16

-50.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 23.63

$18.92 €16.28

-68.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 MYR 12.39

$9.18 €7.90

-66.01%

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

$118 MYR 469

$614 €528

-80.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,365 MYR 9,378

$16.0K €13.8K

-85.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 MYR 235

$105 €90.0

-43.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.86 MYR 110

$42.06 €36.18

-33.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MYR 293

$94.0 €80.8

-21.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 MYR 211

$120 €103

-55.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,536

$1,628 €1,400

-76.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,067

$1,255 €1,080

-78.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 MYR 2,515

$3,030 €2,607

-79.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,833

$2,020 €1,738

-77.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,186 MYR 8,669

$7,800 €6,709

-71.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 MYR 4,387

$4,273 €3,675

-74.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$977 MYR 3,875

$1,603 €1,379

-39.05%

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 Ipoh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Ipoh versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 64% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Ipoh versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $269 – making Ipoh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ipoh vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 150% more than Ipoh, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,325 per month in Ipoh and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ipoh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 287% less in Ipoh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $118 per month in Ipoh and $614 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ipoh, where all-in costs run around $883, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Ipoh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ipoh costs $883 versus $2,210 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ipoh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.