Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kuala Lumpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,073 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,604 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $2,134 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 114% more than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Kuala Lumpur is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$4.57 MYR 18.69

254.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$28.76 MYR 118

120.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.77 MYR 19.53

116.35%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.99 MYR 12.23

-5.35%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.85 MYR 3.48

169.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.53 MYR 2.18

198.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$4.23 MYR 17.29

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.73 MYR 23.42

-29.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.99 MYR 8.12

-45.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.04 MYR 4.25

68.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.68 MYR 6.86

4.76%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.18 MYR 8.93

45.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$14.74 MYR 60.3

-10.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.59 MYR 18.79

73.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$9.54 MYR 39.03

62.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.84 MYR 11.61

-16.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.57 MYR 6.43

8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.64 MYR 10.81

-23.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.52 MYR 6.23

59.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.24 MYR 5.06

41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.36 MYR 5.56

49.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.21 MYR 4.95

58.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.68 MYR 2.78

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$4.36 MYR 17.84

50.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$18.75 MYR 76.7

-70.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$3.24 MYR 13.26

-58.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$4.40 MYR 18.01

-32.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.70 MYR 2.85

225.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$12.01 MYR 49.14

281.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.15 MYR 4.72

267.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.15 MYR 4.72

-29.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$4.68 MYR 19.14

294.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.47 MYR 1.94

342.55%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$40.7K MYR 166.5K

-14.83%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$32.5K MYR 132.8K

20.62%

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

$148 €130

$64.5 MYR 264

129.50%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$11.31 MYR 46.27

80.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$25.58 MYR 105

54.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$46.83 MYR 192

2.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$7.89 MYR 32.26

135.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$5.07 MYR 20.75

81.85%

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

$616 €540

$272 MYR 1,113

126.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$9,520 MYR 38.9K

72.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$60.8 MYR 249

68.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$37.29 MYR 153

11.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$87.2 MYR 356

8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$79.0 MYR 323

54.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$575 MYR 2,350

184.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$363 MYR 1,486

239.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,089 MYR 4,456

184.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$630 MYR 2,575

222.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

87.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,467 MYR 6,000

199.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,521 MYR 6,222

5.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.47

-14.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $575 in Kuala Lumpur. 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 6% 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 $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $265 – making Kuala Lumpur 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 Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 114%, 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 $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,609 in Kuala Lumpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. 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 Kuala Lumpur, where all-in costs run around $1,073, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Kuala Lumpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuala Lumpur – 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 Kuala Lumpur. 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.