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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $991 per month in Ipoh vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Ipoh vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Ipoh vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Ipoh is about 57% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ipoh sits 28% below the global median, while Lisbon is 69% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 MYR 13.60

$17.30 €14.87

-80.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.85 MYR 80.1

$63.3 €54.4

-68.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.52

$11.39 €9.79

-59.70%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.54

$3.19 €2.74

-10.34%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.89

$2.45 €2.10

-70.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.76 €1.52

-73.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.66

$3.59 €3.09

22.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 MYR 19.46

$3.39 €2.92

42.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 MYR 8.17

$1.24 €1.06

63.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.37

$1.98 €1.71

-45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.74

$1.52 €1.31

-6.58%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 9.10

$4.04 €3.47

-44.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 MYR 55.8

$13.54 €11.64

2.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.98

$8.39 €7.21

-41.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 MYR 31.22

$18.25 €15.69

-57.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 MYR 12.45

$2.29 €1.97

34.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.36

$1.74 €1.50

5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 MYR 9.43

$1.86 €1.60

25.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.49

$2.63 €2.26

-38.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.60

$1.92 €1.65

-27.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.86

$2.09 €1.80

-30.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.91

$1.44 €1.24

-15.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.81

$0.84 €0.72

-46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.50

$6.78 €5.83

-35.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.19 MYR 69.3

$5.71 €4.91

201.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 MYR 14.03

$1.38 €1.18

152.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.29

$2.22 €1.91

104.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.13

$2.40 €2.06

-67.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 47.88

$46.78 €40.22

-74.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.08

$4.17 €3.59

-69.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 MYR 4.88

$1.14 €0.98

6.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MYR 19.55

$17.68 €15.20

-72.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$2.32 €2.00

-78.88%

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

$42.5K MYR 171.6K

$35.3K €30.4K

20.39%

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

$35.6K MYR 143.6K

$41.4K €35.6K

-14.11%

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

$64.8 MYR 261

$170 €146

-61.97%

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

$9.38 MYR 37.84

$19.34 €16.62

-51.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.34 MYR 106

$33.64 €28.92

-21.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.63 MYR 168

$48.10 €41.35

-13.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.57 MYR 30.54

$19.90 €17.11

-61.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 MYR 13.65

$9.92 €8.53

-65.93%

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

$300 MYR 1,212

$717 €617

-58.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,018 MYR 20.2K

$17.5K €15.0K

-71.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 MYR 246

$105 €90.1

-41.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.99 MYR 149

$46.95 €40.36

-21.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 MYR 248

$103 €88.9

-40.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.3 MYR 247

$124 €107

-50.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 MYR 1,764

$1,677 €1,441

-73.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 MYR 1,340

$1,271 €1,093

-73.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MYR 2,847

$2,985 €2,566

-76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 MYR 2,022

$1,992 €1,713

-74.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,843 MYR 7,436

$7,826 €6,728

-76.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,024 MYR 4,131

$4,658 €4,004

-78.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,837

$1,583 €1,361

-39.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.79

5.28%

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

Last update for Ipoh: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Ipoh versus $1,677 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 66% 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 $20.00 in Ipoh versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $283 – 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 134% 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 $1,486 per month in Ipoh and $3,474 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 294% less in Ipoh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $300 per month in Ipoh and $717 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 $991, than in Lisbon at $2,316. 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 $991 versus $2,316 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.