Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Lugoj Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Lugoj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $821 in Sibu versus $843 in Lugoj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,237 in Sibu versus $1,275 in Lugoj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,653 in Sibu versus $1,706 in Lugoj.

Living in Sibu costs roughly 3% less than in Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibu 39% lower, Lugoj 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 MYR 8.43

$9.16 RON 41.46

-77.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.41 MYR 33.74

$27.51 RON 124

-69.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 MYR 16.03

$5.61 RON 25.38

-28.70%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MYR 8.52

$1.13 RON 5.13

88.50%

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

$0.60 MYR 2.39

$1.16 RON 5.25

-48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.92

$0.96 RON 4.36

-76.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.40

$2.26 RON 10.23

25.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MYR 19.86

$1.59 RON 7.19

211.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.56

$1.50 RON 6.79

-7.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 MYR 5.32

$1.02 RON 4.61

30.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.81

$0.71 RON 3.22

69.01%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.22

$1.34 RON 6.08

15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.9

$3.60 RON 16.29

315.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 18.77

$4.30 RON 19.46

8.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 23.78

$4.60 RON 20.82

28.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.20

$1.18 RON 5.32

157.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.83

$1.40 RON 6.34

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.50

$1.57 RON 7.11

19.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 13.95

$0.70 RON 3.18

397.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.00

$0.67 RON 3.05

86.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.27

$0.72 RON 3.27

220.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.99

$0.79 RON 3.59

25.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$0.70 RON 3.18

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MYR 15.81

$5.25 RON 23.78

-24.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 MYR 72.3

$4.36 RON 19.71

313.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MYR 4.88

$1.31 RON 5.92

-6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 MYR 16.41

$1.87 RON 8.48

118.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.92

$0.67 RON 3.03

8.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 47.46

$19.84 RON 89.8

-40.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.80

$0.57 RON 2.56

110.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.93

$0.81 RON 3.68

20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.38

$7.09 RON 32.09

-17.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$1.61 RON 7.27

-68.94%

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

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

$28.1K RON 127.3K

23.43%

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

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

$27.0K RON 122.1K

16.24%

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

$43.93 MYR 176

$58.0 RON 262

-24.23%

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

$5.12 MYR 20.53

$8.35 RON 37.78

-38.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 MYR 73.2

$11.45 RON 51.8

59.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 MYR 93.1

$41.66 RON 189

-44.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.20

$19.02 RON 86.1

-69.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 MYR 12.40

$6.64 RON 30.07

-53.46%

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

$190 MYR 762

$443 RON 2,004

-57.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

$9,086 RON 41.1K

-23.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 MYR 245

$80.5 RON 364

-24.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.04 MYR 108

$37.29 RON 169

-27.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 289

$77.9 RON 352

-7.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 MYR 201

$88.1 RON 399

-43.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,540

$384 RON 1,739

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,085

$292 RON 1,322

-7.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,606

$580 RON 2,626

12.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,863

$444 RON 2,011

4.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,217 MYR 8,890

$1,992 RON 9,014

11.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$869 MYR 3,484

$1,194 RON 5,405

-27.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 MYR 2,048

$971 RON 4,395

-47.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

6.28

-32.32%

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

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Sibu and $384 in Lugoj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lugoj pays 90% 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: $8.00 in Sibu vs $28.00 in Lugoj. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $138, with Lugoj 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

Sibu vs Lugoj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibu and Lugoj differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($821 vs $843 including rent). Sibu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lugoj earns 90% 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: $384 in Sibu versus $384 in Lugoj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $821 per month in Sibu versus $843 in Lugoj – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibu runs roughly 68% less than in Lugoj. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Sibu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Sibu and Lugoj 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 Sibu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Lugoj. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.