Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 248% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Bukit Mertajam is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$1.85 MYR 7.32

774.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$20.24 MYR 80.0

219.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$3.82 MYR 15.09

171.73%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.33 MYR 9.19

18.88%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.74 MYR 2.94

204.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.33 MYR 1.32

375.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$3.02 MYR 11.93

15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$4.74 MYR 18.71

-15.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.68 MYR 6.63

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.13 MYR 4.47

53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.61 MYR 2.41

185.25%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.86 MYR 7.34

70.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$22.05 MYR 87.1

-39.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.88 MYR 19.27

63.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$10.54 MYR 41.64

52.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.86 MYR 15.27

-40.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.77 MYR 6.97

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$3.40 MYR 13.41

-42.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.57 MYR 10.17

-1.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.71 MYR 6.75

7.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.00 MYR 3.97

104.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.07 MYR 4.22

85.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.36 MYR 1.44

136.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$4.19 MYR 16.55

63.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$19.23 MYR 76.0

-69.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$4.23 MYR 16.70

-67.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.56 MYR 10.10

13.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.72 MYR 2.86

216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$11.90 MYR 47.00

293.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.15 MYR 4.56

254.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.15 MYR 4.55

-28.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$4.17 MYR 16.49

338.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.50 MYR 1.97

302.00%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

-19.98%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

22.54%

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

$145 €124

$26.25 MYR 104

453.90%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$9.95 MYR 39.29

110.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$28.38 MYR 112

41.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$36.20 MYR 143

34.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$6.00 MYR 23.72

211.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$4.30 MYR 16.98

110.70%

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

$607 €519

$117 MYR 461

420.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

276.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$11.96 MYR 47.25

775.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$63.0 MYR 249

-34.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$23.31 MYR 92.1

301.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$79.9 MYR 316

48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$383 MYR 1,514

318.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$59.0 MYR 233

1994.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$647 MYR 2,556

370.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$467 MYR 1,845

340.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$975 MYR 3,853

62.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.96

-3.79%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 62% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $297, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Lisbon vs Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 248% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $639 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 62% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – 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 $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam – a 248% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 248% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.