Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Kuching versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Kuching versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Kuching versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 65% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuching is 42% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 MYR 11.28

$15.91 €13.69

-82.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.23 MYR 80.2

$64.8 €55.7

-68.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.35

$10.51 €9.04

-55.95%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MYR 9.68

$2.87 €2.47

-14.98%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$2.24 €1.93

-69.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.28

$1.50 €1.29

-78.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MYR 10.95

$3.49 €3.00

-20.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.13

$3.88 €3.34

-8.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.56

$1.14 €0.98

67.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.45

$1.75 €1.51

-36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$1.76 €1.51

-41.48%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.60

$3.22 €2.77

-32.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 38.62

$13.49 €11.61

-27.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.45

$7.91 €6.81

-50.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 MYR 31.86

$15.87 €13.65

-49.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.35

$2.31 €1.99

34.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.39

$1.70 €1.46

-34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.22

$2.01 €1.73

28.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.04

$2.46 €2.12

-27.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.52

$1.84 €1.59

-38.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.66

$2.00 €1.72

-41.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.93 €1.66

-9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.11

$0.79 €0.68

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 16.42

$6.61 €5.68

-37.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.39 MYR 84.8

$5.72 €4.92

273.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.34

$1.37 €1.17

182.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$2.97 €2.56

17.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$2.37 €2.04

-89.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 46.14

$45.56 €39.19

-74.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$4.29 €3.69

-78.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.53

$0.82 €0.70

39.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 MYR 7.27

$18.30 €15.74

-90.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$2.06 €1.78

-76.21%

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

$45.0K MYR 178.4K

$34.3K €29.5K

31.27%

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

$36.0K MYR 142.9K

$39.3K €33.8K

-8.30%

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

$41.77 MYR 166

$148 €127

-71.75%

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

$8.95 MYR 35.50

$20.52 €17.65

-56.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.07 MYR 99.4

$39.61 €34.08

-36.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.40 MYR 117

$47.85 €41.16

-38.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 MYR 38.08

$18.92 €16.28

-49.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.77

$9.18 €7.90

-48.47%

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

$143 MYR 569

$614 €528

-76.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,074 MYR 24.1K

$16.0K €13.8K

-62.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 261

$105 €90.0

-37.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 MYR 127

$42.06 €36.18

-24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 340

$94.0 €80.8

-8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 MYR 289

$120 €103

-39.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,093

$1,628 €1,400

-83.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 798

$1,255 €1,080

-83.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,243

$3,030 €2,607

-81.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,536

$2,020 €1,738

-80.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 MYR 8,560

$7,800 €6,709

-72.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 MYR 6,219

$4,273 €3,675

-63.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,201

$1,603 €1,379

-65.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

3.81

12.07%

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

Last update for Kuching: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Kuching and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 189% 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: $20.00 in Kuching vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $269 per month, with Kuching 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

Kuching vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 186% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lisbon earns 189% 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: $276 in Kuching versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Kuching versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 186% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Kuching versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching 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, Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 186% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.