Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Shanghai versus $656 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,973 in Shanghai versus $1,217 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Shanghai versus $1,777 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 85% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Bukit Mertajam 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.76

$1.86 MYR 7.58

168.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$20.07 MYR 81.9

79.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.37

$3.79 MYR 15.48

46.17%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.83

$2.26 MYR 9.22

56.19%

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

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.34 MYR 1.37

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$3.03 MYR 12.39

-53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.64

$4.84 MYR 19.76

-42.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.77

$1.60 MYR 6.55

36.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.12 MYR 4.57

59.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.56 MYR 2.29

96.43%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.25

$1.90 MYR 7.74

-12.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$22.77 MYR 93.0

-33.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.84

$4.98 MYR 20.35

-37.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥75.0

$10.62 MYR 43.38

4.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.86

$4.01 MYR 16.38

-41.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.83

$1.73 MYR 7.05

1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥11.99

$3.44 MYR 14.04

-48.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$2.53 MYR 10.32

-42.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$1.70 MYR 6.96

-52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.47

$0.99 MYR 4.06

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$1.12 MYR 4.59

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.33 MYR 1.36

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.21

$4.22 MYR 17.23

-32.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.1

$18.26 MYR 74.6

-35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-81.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.93

$2.64 MYR 10.77

-38.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.68 MYR 2.79

-39.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$11.99 MYR 48.97

186.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.76

$1.15 MYR 4.68

90.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-66.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.8

$4.22 MYR 17.25

92.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.33

$0.50 MYR 2.04

118.00%

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

$19.8K ¥133.8K

$43.9K MYR 179.3K

-54.87%

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

$17.8K ¥120.0K

$30.8K MYR 125.8K

-42.33%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$26.62 MYR 109

97.03%

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

$8.46 ¥57.1

$9.67 MYR 39.47

-12.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.6

$28.14 MYR 115

-51.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$36.80 MYR 150

25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$5.98 MYR 24.43

233.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$4.29 MYR 17.54

92.31%

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

$1,280 ¥8,643

$117 MYR 477

995.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.2K

$4,237 MYR 17.3K

634.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$11.65 MYR 47.56

408.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥256

$64.7 MYR 264

-41.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$23.16 MYR 94.6

233.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥654

$78.6 MYR 321

23.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,386

$388 MYR 1,583

143.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,744

$59.9 MYR 245

825.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$637 MYR 2,599

285.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,104

$478 MYR 1,954

150.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.8K

$555 MYR 2,267

213.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.96

-9.60%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Shanghai and $388 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 214% 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: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $298, with Shanghai cheaper for home cooking.

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

Shanghai vs Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,212 vs $656 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 214% higher in Shanghai, 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: $946 in Shanghai versus $388 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,212 per month in Shanghai versus $656 in Bukit Mertajam – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,212 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam 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, Shanghai and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.