Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Skudai Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Skudai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $831 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,256 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,681 in Skudai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Skudai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Skudai are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Skudai 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.50 MYR 13.83

69.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.68 MYR 73.8

75.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.72 MYR 18.65

52.54%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.91 MYR 11.50

-41.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.71 MYR 2.82

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 MYR 1.56

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.65 MYR 14.40

-54.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.03 MYR 19.89

-38.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.80 MYR 7.11

-41.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.93 MYR 3.66

34.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.31 MYR 5.16

6.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.88 MYR 7.43

20.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.74 MYR 42.43

-59.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.41 MYR 13.47

71.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.11 MYR 32.02

8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.73 MYR 10.77

-17.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.48 MYR 5.83

-27.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.49 MYR 9.83

-38.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.27 MYR 5.00

7.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.14 MYR 4.50

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.35 MYR 5.32

-17.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.90 MYR 3.54

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.55 MYR 2.19

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.17 MYR 16.47

-44.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$14.26 MYR 56.3

-21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.76 MYR 10.92

-56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.86 MYR 11.31

-17.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.73 MYR 2.88

8.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.97 MYR 47.28

243.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.01 MYR 4.00

42.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.03 MYR 4.07

85.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$9.18 MYR 36.27

-12.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.50 MYR 1.97

88.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.0K MYR 126.6K

-44.07%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.8K MYR 109.8K

-3.60%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$41.28 MYR 163

103.39%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.99 MYR 35.49

6.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.61 MYR 89.3

6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.15 MYR 147

-30.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.94 MYR 23.46

220.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.08 MYR 20.06

-22.83%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$187 MYR 738

64.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,822 MYR 26.9K

-13.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$49.04 MYR 194

18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$18.81 MYR 74.3

69.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$58.2 MYR 230

71.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$46.23 MYR 183

131.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$381 MYR 1,503

27.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$272 MYR 1,076

35.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$652 MYR 2,575

26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$475 MYR 1,877

50.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,980 MYR 7,819

47.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$791 MYR 3,124

77.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.07

229.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Skudai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $381 in Skudai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Skudai. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $217 in Skudai – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Medellin vs Skudai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,246 in Skudai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skudai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Skudai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $831 in Skudai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Skudai, where all-in costs run around $831, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Skudai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skudai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Skudai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.