Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kuantan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuantan: $820 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Kuantan, Malaysia
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Kuantan
🇲🇾 Malaysia
$820
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Kuantan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Kuantan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,206 per month in Lisbon vs $820 in Kuantan, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Kuantan $820

A couple spends around $3,276 per month in Lisbon vs $1,248 in Kuantan, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Kuantan $1,248

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $1,676 in Kuantan, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Kuantan $1,676

Lisbon costs about 169% more than Kuantan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 63% above the global median, while Kuantan is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.08
$2.43 MYR 9.92
593.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.6
$12.28 MYR 50.1
397.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.82
$3.53 MYR 14.39
211.05%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.73
$2.81 MYR 11.45
8.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.04
$0.67 MYR 2.73
240.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$0.42 MYR 1.70
300.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.07
$2.79 MYR 11.36
23.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.49
$5.88 MYR 23.98
-33.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.61 MYR 6.55
-28.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.69
$0.81 MYR 3.29
133.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.46 MYR 5.95
2.74%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.68
$1.34 MYR 5.45
207.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.63
$9.73 MYR 39.66
33.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.19
$3.32 MYR 13.51
142.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €16.00
$4.35 MYR 17.74
311.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.03
$2.92 MYR 11.90
-22.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.95 MYR 7.94
-10.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.67 MYR 10.88
-31.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.40
$1.74 MYR 7.11
54.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.76 MYR 7.17
0.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.90 MYR 7.76
2.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$0.70 MYR 2.83
108.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.55 MYR 2.25
38.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.95
$4.22 MYR 17.19
57.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.04
$19.87 MYR 81.0
-71.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.93 MYR 7.88
-33.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.94 MYR 7.90
10.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.06
$0.51 MYR 2.07
350.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.36
$12.05 MYR 49.12
265.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.56
$1.09 MYR 4.44
265.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$0.35 MYR 1.44
82.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.92
$8.92 MYR 36.34
112.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.51 MYR 2.09
347.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.8K
$34.3K MYR 139.6K
-2.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.4K
$35.1K MYR 143.0K
9.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$48.55 MYR 198
225.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.68
$8.40 MYR 34.22
108.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.89
$24.38 MYR 99.3
27.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.92
$37.84 MYR 154
17.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.97
$6.51 MYR 26.54
191.55%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.56
$4.58 MYR 18.68
109.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €602
$281 MYR 1,143
140.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$10.4K MYR 42.4K
79.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$52.3 MYR 213
95.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €41.04
$30.31 MYR 124
51.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.4
$49.21 MYR 201
107.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$49.39 MYR 201
146.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,467
$414 MYR 1,688
296.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,062
$288 MYR 1,173
312.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,526
$732 MYR 2,982
286.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,805
$561 MYR 2,288
259.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €7,007
$2,019 MYR 8,229
288.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,204
$1,175 MYR 4,789
300.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Kuantan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,508
$965 MYR 3,930
74.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
4.15
-7.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Kuantan
$288 75.8% $900
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Kuantan
$212 22.9% $63
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Kuantan
$94 61.7% $151
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Kuantan
$81 60.7% $126
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Kuantan
$82 51.3% $86
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Kuantan
$47 26.3% $17
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Kuantan
$17 72% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,641 in Lisbon versus $414 in Kuantan. 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 75% 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 $61 in Lisbon versus $12 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $212 – making Kuantan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇾 Kuantan
🕒 Local time
02:26 2:26 AM
10:26 10:26 AM
8 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
548,014
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.56 MYR (1 MYR = 0.219 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Kuantan 11,660 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Kuantan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kuantan cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 169%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,309 per month in Lisbon and $1,230 in Kuantan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuantan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $414 there versus $1,641 in Lisbon.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $674 per month in Lisbon and $281 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Kuantan?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Lisbon, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Kuantan?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $820, than in Lisbon at $2,206. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lisbon or Kuantan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kuantan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Kuantan?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kuantan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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