Cost of Living Comparison Between Terrassa and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Terrassa and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,559 in Terrassa versus $1,057 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,376 in Terrassa versus $1,543 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,193 in Terrassa versus $2,029 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Terrassa is roughly 47% more expensive than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Terrassa is 13% above, Johor Bahru is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.33 €13.22

$3.74 MYR 15.12

309.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 €49.77

$22.11 MYR 89.4

160.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.58 €10.85

$5.11 MYR 20.65

146.18%

Cappuccino

$2.64 €2.28

$2.88 MYR 11.63

-8.33%

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

$2.44 €2.10

$0.84 MYR 3.40

190.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.49 MYR 1.96

279.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 €3.02

$4.38 MYR 17.71

-20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.99

$6.42 MYR 25.94

-28.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.75 MYR 7.08

-32.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.07 MYR 4.31

40.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.47 MYR 5.94

19.73%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.43

$1.67 MYR 6.76

138.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 €12.95

$18.06 MYR 73.0

-16.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 €8.04

$4.69 MYR 18.96

98.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.68 €16.98

$10.73 MYR 43.38

83.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$3.46 MYR 13.99

-23.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.71 MYR 6.91

17.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$3.99 MYR 16.12

-58.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 €2.42

$1.66 MYR 6.70

68.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.42 MYR 5.73

33.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.69 MYR 6.82

16.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.38 MYR 5.59

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.55 MYR 2.22

43.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 €6.21

$4.21 MYR 17.03

70.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 €5.85

$14.21 MYR 57.5

-52.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.91 MYR 11.78

-47.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 €2.17

$3.12 MYR 12.62

-19.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 €1.43

$0.72 MYR 2.90

129.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 €19.74

$12.33 MYR 49.86

85.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.82

$1.46 MYR 5.90

123.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 €1.36

$0.71 MYR 2.86

121.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.09 €13.02

$10.17 MYR 41.11

48.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.83 MYR 3.36

118.07%

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

$36.6K €31.5K

$41.7K MYR 168.5K

-12.27%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$35.5K MYR 143.7K

-13.11%

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

$119 €103

$52.4 MYR 212

126.89%

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

$15.65 €13.51

$11.13 MYR 45.00

40.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.72 €31.69

$29.09 MYR 118

26.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 €30.23

$40.30 MYR 163

-13.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.63 MYR 22.78

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 €9.37

$5.05 MYR 20.43

115.05%

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

$457 €394

$165 MYR 669

176.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K €8,903

$4,505 MYR 18.2K

129.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 €56.1

$65.2 MYR 264

-0.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.17 €19.13

$16.91 MYR 68.4

31.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.9

$82.6 MYR 334

30.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$41.91 MYR 169

192.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 €756

$536 MYR 2,166

63.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 €528

$403 MYR 1,629

51.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 €986

$895 MYR 3,619

27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 €896

$632 MYR 2,555

64.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,927 €2,526

$2,036 MYR 8,230

43.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 €1,914

$1,163 MYR 4,701

90.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,353 €2,030

$1,090 MYR 4,406

115.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

4.06

-18.72%

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

Last update for Terrassa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $876 in Terrassa and $536 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Terrassa pays 116% 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: $58.0 in Terrassa vs $22.00 in Johor Bahru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $271 per month, with Johor Bahru 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

Terrassa vs Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Terrassa and Johor Bahru differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,559 vs $1,057 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 116% higher in Terrassa, 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: $876 in Terrassa versus $536 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $58.0 in Terrassa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,559 per month in Terrassa versus $1,057 in Johor Bahru – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,057 in Johor Bahru versus $1,559 in Terrassa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Terrassa. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru 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, Terrassa and Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Terrassa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.