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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $976 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,436 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,897 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 137% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Kuala Terengganu is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$2.50 MYR 10.12

592.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$23.34 MYR 94.4

171.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$5.01 MYR 20.27

127.35%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.79 MYR 11.26

14.34%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$0.46 MYR 1.88

432.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.28 MYR 1.13

528.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$4.23 MYR 17.11

-15.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$4.22 MYR 17.08

-19.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.74 MYR 7.04

-28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.05 MYR 4.25

88.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.30 MYR 5.26

16.92%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$1.95 MYR 7.87

107.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$14.25 MYR 57.6

-4.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$4.58 MYR 18.52

83.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$10.22 MYR 41.32

78.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.31 MYR 13.38

-30.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.68 MYR 6.81

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.78 MYR 11.25

-33.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.76 MYR 7.10

49.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.19 MYR 4.80

61.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.09 MYR 4.40

91.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.20 MYR 4.86

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.53 MYR 2.16

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$4.36 MYR 17.61

55.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$20.75 MYR 83.9

-72.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.52 MYR 10.18

-45.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$4.03 MYR 16.29

-44.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$0.83 MYR 3.35

189.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

$11.21 MYR 45.31

317.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$1.26 MYR 5.07

230.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.56 MYR 2.26

103.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$7.06 MYR 28.55

150.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$0.66 MYR 2.66

251.52%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

-15.64%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$35.7K MYR 144.2K

16.20%

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

$170 €147

$50.6 MYR 205

236.42%

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

$19.34 €16.69

$9.17 MYR 37.07

110.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$26.58 MYR 107

26.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$44.19 MYR 179

8.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

$6.54 MYR 26.43

204.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$4.94 MYR 19.96

100.81%

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

$717 €619

$202 MYR 815

255.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$4,936 MYR 20.0K

254.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$61.2 MYR 247

71.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$38.93 MYR 157

20.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$93.6 MYR 379

10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$80.6 MYR 326

53.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$436 MYR 1,764

284.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$293 MYR 1,184

333.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$763 MYR 3,083

291.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$471 MYR 1,906

322.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$2,271 MYR 9,182

244.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$1,153 MYR 4,663

303.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$501 MYR 2,028

215.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

4.2

-9.76%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $436 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 216% 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 $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $263 per month, with Kuala Terengganu cheaper across the board.

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 Terengganu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Kuala Terengganu differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $976 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 216% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $436 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $976 in Kuala Terengganu – a 137% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 317% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $976 in Kuala Terengganu versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu 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 Kuala Terengganu 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 Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.