Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $846 in Penang versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,313 in Penang versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,779 in Penang versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Penang costs roughly 63% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Penang is 39% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.18

$17.55 €15.12

-78.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.03 MYR 81.5

$64.5 €55.6

-68.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.66

$11.65 €10.04

-58.54%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.95

$3.26 €2.81

-9.82%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$2.49 €2.15

-71.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$1.67 €1.44

-76.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.17

$3.47 €2.99

21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 MYR 18.32

$3.58 €3.08

25.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.26

$1.18 €1.02

51.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.95 €1.68

-44.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.05

$1.56 €1.35

10.90%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.05

$4.01 €3.46

-44.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 MYR 54.4

$13.27 €11.44

0.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 MYR 17.78

$8.42 €7.26

-48.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 MYR 36.60

$18.23 €15.72

-50.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.67

$2.32 €2.00

23.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.73 €1.49

-1.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.64

$1.93 €1.67

35.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.94

$2.64 €2.27

-44.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.58

$1.90 €1.64

-40.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$2.11 €1.82

-44.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$1.44 €1.24

-22.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.35

$0.80 €0.69

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 MYR 18.45

$7.01 €6.04

-35.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 79.5

$5.92 €5.11

230.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.85

$1.36 €1.18

113.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.20

$2.15 €1.85

85.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$2.38 €2.05

-79.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.28 MYR 49.95

$46.22 €39.85

-73.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 MYR 6.92

$4.19 €3.61

-59.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$1.10 €0.95

-61.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 MYR 30.97

$17.26 €14.88

-55.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MYR 3.40

$2.25 €1.94

-62.67%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

$34.5K €29.7K

20.69%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

$41.6K €35.9K

-16.51%

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

$37.45 MYR 152

$171 €147

-78.08%

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

$9.83 MYR 40.01

$19.01 €16.38

-48.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 MYR 121

$34.28 €29.55

-13.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 MYR 157

$49.65 €42.80

-22.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.81 MYR 19.57

$19.51 €16.81

-75.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.59

$10.10 €8.71

-47.43%

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

$435 MYR 1,769

$699 €603

-37.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

$17.8K €15.3K

-39.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 MYR 245

$105 €90.2

-42.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.72 MYR 141

$47.97 €41.35

-27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 MYR 347

$102 €87.8

-16.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 MYR 288

$128 €111

-44.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 MYR 1,623

$1,661 €1,432

-75.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 928

$1,228 €1,059

-81.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 MYR 2,406

$2,915 €2,513

-79.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 MYR 1,694

$2,023 €1,744

-79.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,235 MYR 9,094

$8,129 €7,007

-72.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,068 MYR 4,346

$4,635 €3,996

-76.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$923 MYR 3,754

$1,619 €1,396

-43.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

3.78

12.17%

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

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $399 in Penang and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 75% 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: $20.00 in Penang vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $281 per month, with Penang 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

Penang vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang and Lisbon differ by about 168% in total monthly costs ($846 vs $2,268 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $399 in Penang versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $435 in Penang versus $699 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $846 in Penang versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Penang 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, Penang and Lisbon 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 168% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.