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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $859 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $1,289 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $1,719 in Cheras, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 166% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Cheras is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$3.47 MYR 14.20

353.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$18.95 MYR 77.5

234.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$4.67 MYR 19.08

123.77%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$2.92 MYR 11.92

-0.34%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.79 MYR 3.21

189.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.45 MYR 1.83

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$4.73 MYR 19.32

-24.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$6.50 MYR 26.58

-39.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.87 MYR 7.64

-42.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.00 MYR 4.07

76.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.30 MYR 5.29

30.77%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$2.10 MYR 8.57

54.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$15.64 MYR 63.9

-15.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$3.73 MYR 15.24

106.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$7.73 MYR 31.58

104.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.75 MYR 11.22

-17.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.75 MYR 7.16

-5.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.57 MYR 10.50

-21.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$1.26 MYR 5.14

96.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.46 MYR 5.97

22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.40 MYR 5.72

47.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.89 MYR 3.64

121.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.55 MYR 2.26

50.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$4.31 MYR 17.61

51.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$13.81 MYR 56.4

-59.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$2.73 MYR 11.16

-51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$3.92 MYR 16.01

-23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$0.46 MYR 1.88

393.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

$11.99 MYR 49.02

286.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$1.03 MYR 4.19

310.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.03 MYR 4.21

-17.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$9.14 MYR 37.37

106.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$0.46 MYR 1.90

339.13%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$49.6K MYR 202.8K

-29.54%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$31.7K MYR 129.5K

25.15%

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

$148 €129

$41.39 MYR 169

257.41%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$9.03 MYR 36.92

127.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$30.43 MYR 124

29.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$41.27 MYR 169

16.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

$5.94 MYR 24.27

209.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$4.87 MYR 19.91

86.86%

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

$615 €536

$185 MYR 757

231.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$7,008 MYR 28.6K

132.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$65.1 MYR 266

56.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$34.18 MYR 140

23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$71.8 MYR 293

28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$48.69 MYR 199

150.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$382 MYR 1,562

321.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$231 MYR 946

441.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$655 MYR 2,675

368.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$426 MYR 1,742

377.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$1,191 MYR 4,869

34.44%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cheras: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $382 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 34% 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: $267 vs $238 – 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 166%, 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 $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $1,288 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 12% 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 $859, than in Lisbon at $2,280. 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.