Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Semenyih Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Semenyih

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $905 in Semenyih.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,350 in Semenyih.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $1,795 in Semenyih.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 148% more expensive than Semenyih, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 67% above, Semenyih is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$3.59 MYR 14.18

338.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$18.74 MYR 74.0

237.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$4.69 MYR 18.51

120.04%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$3.00 MYR 11.87

-6.33%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$0.62 MYR 2.44

275.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.49 MYR 1.93

208.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$4.65 MYR 18.37

-27.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$6.54 MYR 25.84

-40.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.88 MYR 7.42

-42.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$0.94 MYR 3.70

86.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.24 MYR 4.92

41.13%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$1.86 MYR 7.35

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$15.71 MYR 62.0

-15.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$5.10 MYR 20.16

53.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$11.18 MYR 44.16

43.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$3.79 MYR 14.97

-36.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.52 MYR 5.99

13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.59 MYR 10.21

-23.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$2.01 MYR 7.95

26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.50 MYR 5.93

19.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.74 MYR 6.87

13.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.31 MYR 5.18

49.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.53 MYR 2.08

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$4.16 MYR 16.44

63.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$14.46 MYR 57.1

-59.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.78 MYR 10.96

-50.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.97 MYR 11.74

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$0.73 MYR 2.90

213.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

$11.60 MYR 45.82

304.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$1.43 MYR 5.65

188.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.70 MYR 2.75

15.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$6.05 MYR 23.92

213.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.47 MYR 1.85

344.68%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$36.0K MYR 142.3K

-2.52%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$38.3K MYR 151.5K

3.58%

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

$150 €128

$44.73 MYR 177

234.36%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$8.89 MYR 35.11

130.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$31.05 MYR 123

26.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$37.40 MYR 148

32.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$5.93 MYR 23.41

211.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$4.85 MYR 19.15

89.69%

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

$624 €533

$189 MYR 747

230.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$6,915 MYR 27.3K

130.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$65.9 MYR 260

54.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$19.02 MYR 75.1

114.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$72.7 MYR 287

31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$39.87 MYR 157

203.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$386 MYR 1,523

328.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$274 MYR 1,083

349.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$647 MYR 2,556

370.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$466 MYR 1,842

341.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$1,798 MYR 7,103

338.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$901 MYR 3,560

377.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$677 MYR 2,676

131.21%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Semenyih: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $386 in Semenyih. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 131% 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 in Lisbon vs $19 in Semenyih for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $264 per month, with Semenyih 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 Semenyih: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Semenyih differ by about 148% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $905 including rent). Semenyih is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 131% more on average, 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $386 in Semenyih. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $624 in Lisbon versus $189 in Semenyih. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $905 in Semenyih versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Semenyih but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Semenyih 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 Semenyih 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 Semenyih gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.