Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Setia Alam versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Setia Alam versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,872 in Setia Alam versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Setia Alam costs roughly 60% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Setia Alam is 31% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 MYR 18.74

$16.19 €14.18

-71.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 MYR 97.4

$63.3 €55.5

-62.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$10.32 €9.04

-54.65%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.20

$2.83 €2.48

5.30%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$2.29 €2.01

-63.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$1.58 €1.38

-76.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.70

$3.40 €2.98

27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 MYR 24.63

$4.03 €3.53

49.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.15

$1.09 €0.96

60.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$1.75 €1.53

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 4.02

$1.76 €1.54

-44.32%

Eggs

$1.65 MYR 6.75

$3.17 €2.77

-47.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 MYR 19.56

$13.19 €11.56

-63.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 MYR 16.33

$7.97 €6.98

-49.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 MYR 38.95

$15.53 €13.60

-38.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.44

$2.37 €2.07

-43.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.42

$1.71 €1.49

-8.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$2.01 €1.76

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$2.43 €2.13

-42.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.76 €1.54

-30.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$2.03 €1.78

-34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MYR 2.34

$1.92 €1.68

-70.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.85 €0.74

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 17.23

$6.58 €5.76

-36.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 MYR 78.2

$5.58 €4.89

242.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 MYR 13.14

$1.33 €1.17

141.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 MYR 17.24

$2.97 €2.60

41.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$2.28 €1.99

-67.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 MYR 47.92

$45.79 €40.10

-74.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$4.23 €3.70

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.51

$0.81 €0.71

35.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$18.44 €16.15

-74.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$2.08 €1.82

-75.96%

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

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

$34.7K €30.4K

17.08%

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

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

$39.2K €34.3K

-17.80%

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

$59.1 MYR 242

$148 €130

-60.10%

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

$10.73 MYR 43.87

$20.46 €17.92

-47.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.60 MYR 105

$39.56 €34.64

-35.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 MYR 224

$47.99 €42.03

14.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.38 MYR 9.73

$18.60 €16.29

-87.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.62

$9.22 €8.08

-45.34%

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

$196 MYR 800

$616 €540

-68.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,524 MYR 39.0K

$16.4K €14.4K

-42.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 MYR 244

$103 €90.0

-41.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.82 MYR 102

$41.74 €36.55

-40.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 352

$94.8 €83.0

-9.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 MYR 220

$122 €107

-55.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,026

$1,633 €1,430

-69.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MYR 1,247

$1,232 €1,079

-75.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 MYR 3,422

$3,098 €2,713

-73.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 MYR 2,185

$2,031 €1,779

-73.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,029 MYR 8,300

$7,831 €6,858

-74.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,175 MYR 4,806

$4,389 €3,844

-73.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,149 MYR 4,698

$1,607 €1,408

-28.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

3.81

8.14%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Setia Alam and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 40% 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: $24.00 in Setia Alam vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $267 per month, with Setia Alam 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

Setia Alam vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Setia Alam and Lisbon differ by about 150% in total monthly costs ($918 vs $2,291 including rent). Setia Alam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% 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: $495 in Setia Alam versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Setia Alam versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $918 in Setia Alam versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Setia Alam but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Setia Alam 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, Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam 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.