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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $661 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,224 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,786 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 242% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Bukit Mertajam is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$1.91 MYR 7.76

734.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$19.96 MYR 80.9

217.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$3.70 MYR 15.02

180.54%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.23 MYR 9.03

25.11%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.74 MYR 3.02

216.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.34 MYR 1.37

361.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$3.14 MYR 12.74

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.70 MYR 19.04

-16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.67 MYR 6.77

-35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.09 MYR 4.40

62.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.56 MYR 2.29

205.36%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.89 MYR 7.68

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$22.75 MYR 92.3

-39.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$5.04 MYR 20.42

58.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$10.43 MYR 42.28

48.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.88 MYR 15.75

-40.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.76 MYR 7.13

-6.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$3.48 MYR 14.10

-44.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.66 MYR 10.77

-5.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.76 MYR 7.12

1.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.00 MYR 4.04

101.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.11 MYR 4.52

77.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.36 MYR 1.47

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$4.33 MYR 17.57

56.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$18.90 MYR 76.7

-70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$4.28 MYR 17.34

-67.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.61 MYR 10.59

15.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.69 MYR 2.78

228.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$11.80 MYR 47.83

285.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.20 MYR 4.87

257.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.13 MYR 4.59

-24.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$4.25 MYR 17.25

330.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.46 MYR 1.88

332.61%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$44.2K MYR 179.3K

-20.75%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$31.2K MYR 126.7K

26.58%

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

$146 €126

$26.68 MYR 108

447.90%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$9.95 MYR 40.36

105.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$28.90 MYR 117

34.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$37.31 MYR 151

31.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$5.92 MYR 23.99

218.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$4.16 MYR 16.85

128.85%

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

$608 €524

$119 MYR 483

410.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$4,260 MYR 17.3K

287.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$11.98 MYR 48.58

767.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$63.2 MYR 256

-33.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$23.23 MYR 94.2

296.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$78.2 MYR 317

53.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$391 MYR 1,584

315.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$58.8 MYR 238

2055.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$656 MYR 2,662

364.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$477 MYR 1,936

320.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$990 MYR 4,016

60.04%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $391 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 60% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $300, 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 242% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $661 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 60% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $391 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $661 in Bukit Mertajam – a 242% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,263 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 242% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.