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 $1,032 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $903 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,497 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,339 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,963 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,775 in Skudai, rent included.

Petaling Jaya costs about 14% more than Skudai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Skudai are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 25% lower, Skudai 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 15.11

$3.63 MYR 14.67

3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.73 MYR 99.9

$21.81 MYR 88.1

13.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.35

$4.83 MYR 19.53

4.35%

Cappuccino

$3.05 MYR 12.31

$2.95 MYR 11.92

3.39%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.49

$0.79 MYR 3.18

8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.69

$0.45 MYR 1.80

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 MYR 13.36

$3.28 MYR 13.24

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 MYR 23.55

$5.74 MYR 23.21

1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.53

$1.76 MYR 7.09

5.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.18

$1.03 MYR 4.17

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.87

$1.50 MYR 6.07

-3.33%

Eggs

$1.78 MYR 7.20

$1.72 MYR 6.95

3.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 MYR 39.17

$10.03 MYR 40.50

-3.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.37

$3.31 MYR 13.36

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.03

$9.52 MYR 38.45

-1.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.89

$2.69 MYR 10.86

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.78

$1.77 MYR 7.14

9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.20

$2.69 MYR 10.85

2.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.43

$1.62 MYR 6.53

13.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.44

$1.42 MYR 5.72

47.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.00

$1.73 MYR 6.99

14.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 MYR 5.79

$1.33 MYR 5.39

7.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.52 MYR 2.08

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 MYR 18.40

$4.35 MYR 17.56

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.09 MYR 81.2

$13.91 MYR 56.2

44.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.41

$2.82 MYR 11.40

0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.06

$3.00 MYR 12.12

40.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.85

$0.64 MYR 2.60

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.2

$10.58 MYR 42.73

17.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$1.26 MYR 5.09

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.39 MYR 1.56

-2.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.47 MYR 38.27

$9.15 MYR 36.95

3.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.18

$0.73 MYR 2.95

8.22%

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

$41.3K MYR 166.9K

$42.3K MYR 170.9K

-2.33%

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

$33.4K MYR 134.8K

$32.7K MYR 131.9K

2.20%

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

$39.91 MYR 161

$39.93 MYR 161

-0.05%

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

$8.11 MYR 32.76

$8.29 MYR 33.50

-2.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 MYR 110

$26.56 MYR 107

2.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.88 MYR 193

$43.68 MYR 176

9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.15 MYR 12.75

$7.42 MYR 29.96

-57.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MYR 19.57

$5.05 MYR 20.41

-4.16%

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

$280 MYR 1,132

$163 MYR 657

72.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

$4,435 MYR 17.9K

141.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 210

$50.9 MYR 206

2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 MYR 121

$16.39 MYR 66.2

82.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MYR 309

$78.9 MYR 319

-3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 MYR 342

$41.09 MYR 166

105.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,012

$480 MYR 1,938

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,604

$395 MYR 1,595

0.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 MYR 3,251

$624 MYR 2,520

29.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,299

$554 MYR 2,240

2.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,177 MYR 12.8K

$2,347 MYR 9,483

35.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$213 MYR 861

$1,174 MYR 4,741

-81.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,747 MYR 7,056

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: August 16, 2026

Last update for Skudai: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $498 in Petaling Jaya versus $480 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 $25.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $22.00 in Skudai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $226 – 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 14% more than Skudai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,548 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,355 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 17% less in Skudai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $280 per month in Petaling Jaya and $163 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 $903, than in Petaling Jaya at $1,032. 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 $903 versus $1,032 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.