Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cheras Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cheras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $829 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,293 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $1,757 in Cheras, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 173% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Cheras is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$3.48 MYR 14.13

358.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$18.77 MYR 76.1

237.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$4.59 MYR 18.63

126.14%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$3.03 MYR 12.27

-7.92%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.79 MYR 3.19

196.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.45 MYR 1.84

248.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$4.78 MYR 19.38

-28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$6.64 MYR 26.94

-41.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.79 MYR 7.28

-39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.93 MYR 3.77

90.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.26 MYR 5.10

35.71%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.06 MYR 8.37

52.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$15.44 MYR 62.6

-11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$3.58 MYR 14.50

123.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$7.46 MYR 30.26

108.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.76 MYR 7.14

-6.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.45 MYR 9.92

-20.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.26 MYR 5.09

99.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.52 MYR 6.16

17.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.34 MYR 5.43

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.93 MYR 3.79

111.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.56 MYR 2.28

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$4.26 MYR 17.26

59.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$14.50 MYR 58.8

-60.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.83 MYR 11.48

-50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$3.78 MYR 15.33

-20.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.48 MYR 1.96

372.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$11.95 MYR 48.44

280.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.98 MYR 3.95

337.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.02 MYR 4.14

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$9.49 MYR 38.47

92.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.49 MYR 1.99

306.12%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$49.4K MYR 200.2K

-29.03%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$31.7K MYR 128.6K

24.65%

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

$146 €126

$41.77 MYR 169

249.96%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$9.30 MYR 37.72

119.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$30.42 MYR 123

28.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$40.98 MYR 166

19.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$5.73 MYR 23.23

228.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$5.09 MYR 20.62

87.03%

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

$608 €524

$190 MYR 769

220.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$6,818 MYR 27.6K

142.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$64.7 MYR 262

60.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$34.30 MYR 139

22.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$73.9 MYR 300

24.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$48.61 MYR 197

146.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$372 MYR 1,507

336.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$237 MYR 961

434.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$656 MYR 2,661

364.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$420 MYR 1,703

378.28%

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

$1,175 MYR 4,765

34.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.07

-6.39%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cheras: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Lisbon versus $372 in Cheras. 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 35% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $19.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $236 – making Cheras 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

Lisbon vs Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 173%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $1,244 in Cheras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $19.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Lisbon at $2,263. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cheras. 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.