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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $819 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,230 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,640 in Skudai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Skudai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Skudai are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Skudai 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.56 MYR 14.55

66.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$18.53 MYR 75.7

77.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.84 MYR 19.78

53.51%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,211

$2.91 MYR 11.87

-43.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,471

$0.72 MYR 2.94

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,460

$0.37 MYR 1.51

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,416

$3.48 MYR 14.23

-50.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$5.11 MYR 20.87

-37.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,477

$1.89 MYR 7.71

-41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,965

$0.94 MYR 3.83

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,353

$1.28 MYR 5.23

7.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,864

$1.87 MYR 7.63

16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$10.64 MYR 43.44

-57.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$3.42 MYR 13.95

69.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$7.98 MYR 32.59

12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,314

$2.75 MYR 11.24

-15.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,355

$1.52 MYR 6.21

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,778

$2.56 MYR 10.44

-40.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,273

$1.20 MYR 4.92

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.15 MYR 4.68

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,840

$0.89 MYR 3.63

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.56 MYR 2.29

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,039

$4.33 MYR 17.66

-48.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$13.84 MYR 56.5

-12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,746

$2.80 MYR 11.43

-57.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,822

$2.98 MYR 12.16

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.74 MYR 3.01

14.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.1K

$11.58 MYR 47.30

259.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,462

$1.03 MYR 4.20

37.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,146

$1.03 MYR 4.20

89.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$9.16 MYR 37.39

-13.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,121

$0.50 MYR 2.03

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

-43.45%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.4K MYR 111.7K

-2.06%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$41.45 MYR 169

100.27%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$8.86 MYR 36.20

9.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$23.05 MYR 94.1

2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$37.46 MYR 153

-32.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$6.05 MYR 24.70

215.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.08 MYR 20.73

-22.24%

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

$316 COP 995.1K

$188 MYR 768

67.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,044 MYR 28.8K

-15.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$48.37 MYR 198

24.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$18.89 MYR 77.2

68.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$57.9 MYR 236

75.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.6K

$46.51 MYR 190

131.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$392 MYR 1,601

21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$272 MYR 1,113

37.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$638 MYR 2,603

33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$468 MYR 1,912

53.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,900 MYR 7,759

71.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,065 MYR 4,349

35.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Skudai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $392 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 – $193 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 22%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,229 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $819 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 $819, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.