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: $761 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $948 in Seri Iskandar versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,135 in Seri Iskandar versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Seri Iskandar costs roughly 66% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seri Iskandar is 45% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 MYR 11.27

$17.55 €15.12

-84.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.38 MYR 120

$64.5 €55.6

-54.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.68

$11.65 €10.04

-58.45%

Cappuccino

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$3.26 €2.81

-71.17%

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

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$2.49 €2.15

-78.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.15

$1.67 €1.44

-83.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.74

$3.47 €2.99

-16.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.69

$3.58 €3.08

0.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MYR 6.63

$1.18 €1.02

38.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.13

$1.95 €1.68

-47.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$1.56 €1.35

-69.23%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.35

$4.01 €3.46

-48.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.35 MYR 21.75

$13.27 €11.44

-59.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.27

$8.42 €7.26

-75.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 MYR 18.60

$18.23 €15.72

-74.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 MYR 8.96

$2.32 €2.00

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$1.73 €1.49

-2.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.86

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 MYR 3.89

$2.64 €2.27

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 MYR 2.42

$1.90 €1.64

-68.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.17

$2.11 €1.82

-51.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.95

$1.44 €1.24

-32.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MYR 2.48

$0.80 €0.69

-23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.71

$7.01 €6.04

-37.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 MYR 29.75

$5.92 €5.11

23.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 MYR 10.16

$1.36 €1.18

83.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.36

$2.15 €1.85

75.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 MYR 4.46

$2.38 €2.05

-53.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.29 MYR 50.0

$46.22 €39.85

-73.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.89

$4.19 €3.61

-77.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$1.10 €0.95

-56.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 MYR 19.82

$17.26 €14.88

-71.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 MYR 2.45

$2.25 €1.94

-73.33%

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

$19.8K MYR 80.6K

$34.5K €29.7K

-42.52%

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

$19.8K MYR 80.7K

$41.6K €35.9K

-52.33%

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

$65.4 MYR 266

$171 €147

-61.71%

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

$9.45 MYR 38.45

$19.01 €16.38

-50.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.98 MYR 69.1

$34.28 €29.55

-50.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.52 MYR 55.0

$49.65 €42.80

-72.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 MYR 27.21

$19.51 €16.81

-65.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.82 MYR 15.56

$10.10 €8.71

-62.18%

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

$172 MYR 698

$699 €603

-75.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,926 MYR 20.0K

$17.8K €15.3K

-72.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.24 MYR 70.1

$105 €90.2

-83.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.55 MYR 34.76

$47.97 €41.35

-82.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 MYR 247

$102 €87.8

-40.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.58 MYR 153

$128 €111

-70.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 MYR 1,748

$1,661 €1,432

-74.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 MYR 1,355

$1,228 €1,059

-72.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MYR 2,890

$2,915 €2,513

-75.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MYR 659

$2,023 €1,744

-91.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,077 MYR 8,449

$8,129 €7,007

-74.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,113 MYR 4,526

$4,635 €3,996

-76.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$376 MYR 1,529

$1,619 €1,396

-76.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-47.09%

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

Last update for Seri Iskandar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Seri Iskandar and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 331% 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: $29.00 in Seri Iskandar vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $281 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 198% in total monthly costs ($761 vs $2,268 including rent). Seri Iskandar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 331% 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: $430 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $172 in Seri Iskandar 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 76% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $761 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,268 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 198% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.