Cost of Living Comparison Between Seri Iskandar and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Seri Iskandar and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $670 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $878 in Seri Iskandar versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,087 in Seri Iskandar versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Seri Iskandar costs roughly 70% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seri Iskandar is 50% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 MYR 11.12

$15.94 €13.82

-82.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.95 MYR 113

$63.4 €54.9

-55.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 MYR 17.67

$10.38 €9.00

-58.09%

Cappuccino

$0.91 MYR 3.69

$2.79 €2.42

-67.38%

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

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$2.34 €2.03

-78.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.00

$1.57 €1.36

-84.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 MYR 11.60

$3.43 €2.97

-16.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.74

$3.91 €3.39

-7.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MYR 6.05

$1.08 €0.93

37.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.93

$1.77 €1.53

-45.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$1.71 €1.48

-73.68%

Eggs

$1.94 MYR 7.87

$3.15 €2.73

-38.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 MYR 21.65

$13.68 €11.86

-60.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$8.01 €6.94

-76.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 MYR 17.35

$15.52 €13.45

-72.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.47

$2.29 €1.99

-8.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.62

$1.64 €1.42

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 MYR 7.52

$1.94 €1.68

-4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.71

$2.51 €2.18

-63.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 MYR 2.32

$1.79 €1.55

-68.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$2.01 €1.74

-50.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.63

$1.97 €1.70

-54.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MYR 2.48

$0.84 €0.73

-27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.97

$6.79 €5.88

-38.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.29 MYR 29.57

$5.67 €4.92

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 MYR 9.36

$1.39 €1.20

66.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 14.28

$3.02 €2.61

16.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 MYR 4.36

$2.27 €1.97

-52.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 48.72

$45.44 €39.38

-73.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MYR 3.64

$4.29 €3.72

-79.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.67

$0.85 €0.74

35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 MYR 19.62

$18.28 €15.84

-73.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.99 €1.72

-74.87%

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

$19.1K MYR 77.5K

$35.0K €30.4K

-45.52%

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

$18.7K MYR 75.8K

$39.5K €34.3K

-52.76%

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

$64.9 MYR 263

$146 €127

-55.60%

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

$9.35 MYR 37.93

$20.45 €17.72

-54.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.23 MYR 65.8

$38.98 €33.78

-58.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.98 MYR 52.7

$48.98 €42.46

-73.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 24.03

$18.83 €16.32

-68.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.56 MYR 14.43

$9.52 €8.25

-62.61%

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

$165 MYR 670

$608 €527

-72.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,565 MYR 38.8K

$16.5K €14.3K

-42.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.31 MYR 66.2

$104 €90.0

-84.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.03 MYR 32.57

$42.12 €36.50

-80.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 MYR 239

$92.2 €79.9

-36.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.83 MYR 145

$120 €104

-70.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,549

$1,621 €1,405

-76.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,110

$1,268 €1,099

-78.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,645

$3,048 €2,642

-78.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MYR 613

$2,009 €1,741

-92.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,679 MYR 6,812

$7,663 €6,641

-78.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$873 MYR 3,541

$4,329 €3,752

-79.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$371 MYR 1,507

$1,585 €1,374

-76.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-47.51%

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

Last update for Seri Iskandar: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Seri Iskandar and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 327% 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: $28.00 in Seri Iskandar vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $153 vs $269 per month, with Seri Iskandar 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

Seri Iskandar vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seri Iskandar and Lisbon differ by about 238% in total monthly costs ($670 vs $2,263 including rent). Seri Iskandar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 327% less. 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: $382 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $165 in Seri Iskandar versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $670 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seri Iskandar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Seri Iskandar 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, Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 238% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.