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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $905 in Semenyih.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,367 in Semenyih.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,830 in Semenyih.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 150% more expensive than Semenyih, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Semenyih is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.82

$3.55 MYR 14.42

349.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.9

$19.04 MYR 77.3

232.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €9.00

$4.67 MYR 18.95

122.27%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.42

$3.02 MYR 12.24

-7.62%

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

$2.34 €2.03

$0.61 MYR 2.48

283.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.36

$0.48 MYR 1.95

227.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.97

$4.83 MYR 19.61

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.39

$6.51 MYR 26.43

-39.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.83 MYR 7.43

-40.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.53

$0.99 MYR 4.03

78.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.48

$1.28 MYR 5.20

33.59%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.73

$1.87 MYR 7.59

68.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.86

$15.26 MYR 61.9

-10.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$5.00 MYR 20.30

60.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.45

$11.43 MYR 46.39

35.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.99

$3.66 MYR 14.83

-37.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.47 MYR 5.98

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.68

$2.58 MYR 10.49

-24.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.18

$2.03 MYR 8.24

23.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.50 MYR 6.10

19.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.74 MYR 7.05

15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.32 MYR 5.37

49.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.52 MYR 2.10

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.88

$4.19 MYR 17.02

62.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.92

$14.34 MYR 58.2

-60.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.76 MYR 11.21

-49.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.61

$2.92 MYR 11.85

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.68 MYR 2.76

233.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.38

$11.81 MYR 47.93

284.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$1.38 MYR 5.59

210.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.70 MYR 2.84

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.84

$5.76 MYR 23.36

217.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.47 MYR 1.90

323.40%

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

$35.0K €30.4K

$34.8K MYR 141.2K

0.69%

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

$39.5K €34.3K

$38.8K MYR 157.5K

1.86%

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

$146 €127

$45.87 MYR 186

218.68%

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

$20.45 €17.72

$9.32 MYR 37.81

119.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.78

$31.37 MYR 127

24.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.46

$37.00 MYR 150

32.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.32

$5.72 MYR 23.21

229.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.25

$4.83 MYR 19.61

97.10%

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

$608 €527

$188 MYR 762

223.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.3K

$7,016 MYR 28.5K

135.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €90.0

$64.0 MYR 260

62.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.50

$18.78 MYR 76.2

124.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.9

$72.8 MYR 295

26.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$39.75 MYR 161

201.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,405

$394 MYR 1,599

311.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,099

$265 MYR 1,074

378.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,642

$649 MYR 2,632

369.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,741

$467 MYR 1,895

330.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,641

$1,709 MYR 6,936

348.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,752

$847 MYR 3,439

410.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,374

$664 MYR 2,693

138.79%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Semenyih: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $394 in Semenyih. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 139% 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 $19.00 in Semenyih for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $261 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 150% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $905 including rent). Semenyih is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 139% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $394 in Semenyih. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $188 in Semenyih. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $905 in Semenyih versus $2,263 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 150% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.