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 $892 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $819 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,329 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,226 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,767 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,633 in Skudai, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% more than Skudai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Petaling Jaya and Skudai are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 33% lower, Skudai 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.68

$3.63 MYR 14.92

-1.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.09 MYR 78.5

$19.10 MYR 78.6

-0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 19.01

$4.59 MYR 18.91

0.65%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MYR 11.03

$2.90 MYR 11.94

-7.59%

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

$0.73 MYR 3.02

$0.72 MYR 2.97

1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.62

$0.37 MYR 1.50

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 MYR 14.82

$3.56 MYR 14.65

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.28

$5.18 MYR 21.30

-4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.70

$1.86 MYR 7.67

0.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.17

$0.96 MYR 3.94

5.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.36

$1.30 MYR 5.35

37.69%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 9.08

$1.90 MYR 7.81

16.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 MYR 44.33

$10.45 MYR 42.98

3.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 MYR 13.92

$3.55 MYR 14.61

-4.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 MYR 33.91

$8.06 MYR 33.18

2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.35

$2.75 MYR 11.32

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.96

$1.52 MYR 6.24

11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 10.15

$2.48 MYR 10.22

-0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.20 MYR 4.95

1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.19 MYR 4.89

-4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.47

$1.37 MYR 5.64

-2.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.69

$0.90 MYR 3.71

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.40

$0.55 MYR 2.28

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.15

$4.14 MYR 17.03

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.95 MYR 82.1

$14.21 MYR 58.5

40.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 11.07

$2.66 MYR 10.94

1.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 MYR 15.69

$2.88 MYR 11.86

32.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.14

$0.69 MYR 2.84

10.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 48.79

$11.88 MYR 48.89

-0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.21

$0.99 MYR 4.06

3.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$1.04 MYR 4.27

-65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.21 MYR 37.88

$9.49 MYR 39.05

-2.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.03

$0.46 MYR 1.90

6.52%

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

$31.0K MYR 127.5K

$31.5K MYR 129.8K

-1.78%

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

$27.5K MYR 113.1K

$28.0K MYR 115.3K

-1.91%

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

$40.35 MYR 166

$40.53 MYR 167

-0.44%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.76

$9.07 MYR 37.31

1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.28 MYR 95.8

$22.74 MYR 93.6

2.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 MYR 149

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.21 MYR 29.67

$6.03 MYR 24.80

19.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 20.06

$4.90 MYR 20.18

-0.41%

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

$215 MYR 885

$189 MYR 778

13.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 MYR 33.3K

$7,031 MYR 28.9K

15.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 MYR 203

$48.98 MYR 202

0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 MYR 142

$19.15 MYR 78.8

80.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.7 MYR 221

$59.7 MYR 246

-10.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.61 MYR 200

$46.97 MYR 193

3.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,937

$383 MYR 1,574

23.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,426

$264 MYR 1,088

31.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 MYR 3,364

$638 MYR 2,627

28.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 MYR 2,265

$480 MYR 1,975

14.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,192 MYR 13.1K

$1,916 MYR 7,884

66.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$209 MYR 859

$959 MYR 3,945

-78.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,770 MYR 7,285

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.07

10.32%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 14, 2026

Last update for Skudai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Petaling Jaya versus $383 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 $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $19.00 in Skudai. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Petaling Jaya vs $217 in Skudai – so Skudai 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

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

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% 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 $1,338 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,228 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 0% less in Skudai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $215 per month in Petaling Jaya and $189 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 $819, than in Petaling Jaya at $892. 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 $819 versus $892 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.