Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $661 per month in Kota Bharu vs $2,280 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,134 per month in Kota Bharu vs $3,294 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,608 per month in Kota Bharu vs $4,307 in Lisbon, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 71% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kota Bharu sits 50% below the global median, while Lisbon is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$15.75 €13.64

-88.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.83 MYR 85.0

$63.5 €55.0

-67.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 MYR 17.74

$10.45 €9.05

-58.47%

Cappuccino

$2.41 MYR 9.85

$2.91 €2.52

-17.18%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$2.29 €1.98

-78.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$1.50 €1.30

-83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.68

$3.56 €3.09

21.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MYR 16.88

$3.96 €3.43

4.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MYR 6.14

$1.08 €0.94

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 MYR 3.29

$1.76 €1.53

-53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$1.70 €1.47

-50.59%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.31

$3.25 €2.81

-52.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 MYR 62.2

$13.25 €11.47

14.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.60

$7.70 €6.67

-63.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 MYR 25.40

$15.77 €13.66

-60.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$2.28 €1.97

-36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.66 €1.43

-16.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.80

$2.02 €1.75

-29.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.73

$2.47 €2.14

-63.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MYR 3.18

$1.79 €1.55

-56.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$2.07 €1.79

-42.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.69

$1.97 €1.71

-54.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.77

$0.83 €0.72

-48.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MYR 12.47

$6.55 €5.68

-53.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.66 MYR 88.4

$5.57 €4.82

288.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MYR 5.70

$1.33 €1.15

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.87

$3.01 €2.60

12.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$2.27 €1.97

-67.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.75 MYR 47.99

$46.35 €40.14

-74.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$4.23 €3.66

-82.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$0.85 €0.73

-36.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 MYR 14.68

$18.83 €16.31

-80.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$2.02 €1.75

-75.74%

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

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

$35.0K €30.3K

-10.93%

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

$27.8K MYR 113.4K

$39.6K €34.3K

-29.95%

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

$38.50 MYR 157

$148 €128

-73.97%

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

$8.40 MYR 34.31

$20.52 €17.77

-59.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 MYR 107

$39.52 €34.23

-33.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.55 MYR 149

$48.17 €41.72

-24.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 MYR 24.46

$18.39 €15.92

-67.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 17.57

$9.10 €7.88

-52.75%

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

$120 MYR 490

$615 €532

-80.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,138 MYR 25.1K

$16.3K €14.1K

-62.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 MYR 215

$102 €88.0

-48.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.22 MYR 78.5

$42.09 €36.45

-54.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 247

$92.3 €79.9

-34.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 MYR 219

$122 €106

-56.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 MYR 1,045

$1,612 €1,396

-84.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MYR 574

$1,254 €1,086

-88.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 MYR 3,494

$3,069 €2,658

-72.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,948

$2,037 €1,764

-76.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$290 MYR 1,183

$1,602 €1,387

-81.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

3.81

9.19%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Kota Bharu versus $1,612 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 453% 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 $21.00 in Kota Bharu versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $267 – making Kota Bharu 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

Kota Bharu vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 245% more than Kota Bharu, 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 $991 per month in Kota Bharu and $3,420 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kota Bharu, 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 Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $120 per month in Kota Bharu and $615 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 Kota Bharu, where all-in costs run around $661, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Kota Bharu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kota Bharu costs $661 versus $2,280 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 Kota Bharu. 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.