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: $899 in Kuching versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,388 in Kuching versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,877 in Kuching versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 61% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuching is 35% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.90

$17.30 €14.93

-80.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.31 MYR 98.3

$63.3 €54.6

-61.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 MYR 20.41

$11.39 €9.83

-55.66%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MYR 13.04

$3.19 €2.75

1.25%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$2.45 €2.11

-68.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$1.76 €1.52

-78.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 MYR 19.54

$3.59 €3.10

34.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 MYR 25.55

$3.39 €2.93

86.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 MYR 8.98

$1.24 €1.07

79.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 MYR 4.79

$1.98 €1.71

-39.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.90

$1.52 €1.31

-20.39%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.36

$4.04 €3.49

-36.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 MYR 45.39

$13.54 €11.68

-17.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.27

$8.39 €7.24

-46.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 MYR 40.54

$18.25 €15.75

-45.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 MYR 13.45

$2.29 €1.98

45.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.35

$1.74 €1.50

-24.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 10.10

$1.86 €1.60

34.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.55

$2.63 €2.27

-28.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.15

$1.92 €1.65

-20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$2.09 €1.81

-42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MYR 6.63

$1.44 €1.24

13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.84 €0.73

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 MYR 19.34

$6.78 €5.85

-29.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.25 MYR 85.9

$5.71 €4.93

272.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.23 MYR 17.10

$1.38 €1.19

206.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 MYR 20.82

$2.22 €1.91

131.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MYR 2.60

$2.40 €2.07

-73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 50.9

$46.78 €40.37

-73.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 MYR 4.19

$4.17 €3.60

-75.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 MYR 4.93

$1.14 €0.98

7.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 35.79

$17.68 €15.26

-49.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 MYR 3.47

$2.32 €2.01

-62.93%

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

$43.0K MYR 173.8K

$35.3K €30.5K

21.63%

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

$37.3K MYR 150.7K

$41.4K €35.8K

-10.09%

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

$36.51 MYR 148

$170 €147

-78.57%

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

$10.11 MYR 40.89

$19.34 €16.69

-47.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.41 MYR 98.7

$33.64 €29.03

-27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.47 MYR 123

$48.10 €41.50

-36.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.55 MYR 50.8

$19.90 €17.17

-36.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 MYR 20.31

$9.92 €8.56

-49.40%

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

$136 MYR 552

$717 €619

-80.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,032 MYR 28.4K

$17.5K €15.1K

-59.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 MYR 255

$105 €90.4

-39.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.04 MYR 154

$46.95 €40.51

-18.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 MYR 365

$103 €89.2

-12.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 MYR 263

$124 €107

-47.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,494

$1,677 €1,447

-77.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 MYR 968

$1,271 €1,097

-81.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,605

$2,985 €2,575

-78.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,858

$1,992 €1,719

-76.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,094 MYR 8,466

$7,826 €6,753

-73.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,534 MYR 6,202

$4,658 €4,019

-67.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,214

$1,583 €1,366

-65.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

3.79

15.30%

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

Last update for Kuching: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $369 in Kuching and $1,677 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: $24.00 in Kuching vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $283 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 189% 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: $369 in Kuching versus $1,677 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 $24.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $899 per month in Kuching versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Kuching versus $2,316 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 158% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.