Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Skudai Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Skudai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $894 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,529 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,338 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,782 in Skudai, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 19% more than Skudai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Skudai are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 21% lower, Skudai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 MYR 15.16

$3.73 MYR 15.23

-0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.45 MYR 99.9

$21.28 MYR 86.9

14.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 MYR 19.89

$5.03 MYR 20.55

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$2.92 MYR 11.93

2.40%

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

$0.88 MYR 3.59

$0.84 MYR 3.45

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.80

$0.42 MYR 1.70

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MYR 13.61

$3.33 MYR 13.60

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 MYR 23.22

$5.77 MYR 23.57

-1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 MYR 7.90

$1.75 MYR 7.13

10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.07 MYR 4.36

-3.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.89

$1.44 MYR 5.88

Eggs

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$1.66 MYR 6.78

6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.46

$9.93 MYR 40.55

-2.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 MYR 13.55

$3.29 MYR 13.43

0.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 38.96

$9.29 MYR 37.95

2.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 14.06

$3.30 MYR 13.46

4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.90

$1.76 MYR 7.19

9.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.32

$2.66 MYR 10.85

4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.60 MYR 6.56

14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.80

$1.40 MYR 5.73

53.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MYR 8.23

$1.65 MYR 6.74

21.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 MYR 5.86

$1.36 MYR 5.58

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.51 MYR 2.08

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.67

$4.15 MYR 16.95

10.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.30 MYR 78.8

$14.20 MYR 58.0

35.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MYR 11.08

$2.76 MYR 11.28

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.21

$3.15 MYR 12.87

41.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.73 MYR 2.96

64.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.40 MYR 50.7

$12.18 MYR 49.74

1.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.09

$1.24 MYR 5.08

0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.44

$0.38 MYR 1.56

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 MYR 35.66

$9.27 MYR 37.88

-5.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.59

$0.72 MYR 2.93

22.22%

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

$41.1K MYR 167.9K

$41.3K MYR 168.7K

-0.50%

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

$32.6K MYR 133.2K

$33.2K MYR 135.5K

-1.63%

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

$48.53 MYR 198

$49.74 MYR 203

-2.43%

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

$8.08 MYR 33.01

$8.09 MYR 33.03

-0.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.83 MYR 110

$27.19 MYR 111

-1.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 MYR 211

$40.27 MYR 164

28.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.16 MYR 12.90

$6.98 MYR 28.50

-54.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 20.10

$4.89 MYR 19.96

0.61%

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

$279 MYR 1,138

$162 MYR 663

71.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MYR 42.5K

$4,544 MYR 18.6K

128.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MYR 214

$51.5 MYR 210

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 MYR 121

$16.60 MYR 67.8

78.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MYR 312

$76.6 MYR 313

-0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 MYR 347

$86.8 MYR 355

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 MYR 1,971

$402 MYR 1,641

20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 MYR 1,651

$304 MYR 1,241

33.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 MYR 3,393

$669 MYR 2,734

24.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 MYR 2,261

$484 MYR 1,979

14.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,121 MYR 12.7K

$2,027 MYR 8,279

54.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 MYR 3,890

$1,105 MYR 4,514

-13.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 MYR 7,123

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.06

11.08%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: October 4, 2026

Last update for Skudai: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Petaling Jaya versus $402 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 $24.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $21.00 in Skudai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $228 – making Skudai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Petaling Jaya vs Skudai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 19% more than Skudai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,593 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,341 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.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Skudai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $279 per month in Petaling Jaya and $162 in Skudai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Skudai, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,062. In Skudai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Petaling Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $894 versus $1,062 in Petaling Jaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.