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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $807 per month in Skudai vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Skudai vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,639 per month in Skudai vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Skudai is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skudai and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 40% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.30

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-40.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 MYR 77.8

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-42.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.57

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-33.20%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.05

$1.63 COP 5,687

82.21%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$1.09 COP 3,821

-36.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.73 COP 2,548

-46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.64

$1.74 COP 6,065

107.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 MYR 20.69

$3.23 COP 11.3K

57.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.41

$1.05 COP 3,662

74.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.10

$1.29 COP 4,515

-21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.08

$1.32 COP 4,617

-5.30%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.29

$2.27 COP 7,927

-20.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 MYR 43.87

$4.35 COP 15.2K

148.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.96

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-41.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 MYR 33.69

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-3.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.90

$2.25 COP 7,844

19.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$1.07 COP 3,733

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.44

$1.52 COP 5,322

69.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.04

$1.42 COP 4,964

-12.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.17 COP 4,084

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.57

$1.17 COP 4,077

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.80

$0.89 COP 3,096

5.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.90 COP 3,146

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.89

$2.25 COP 7,837

85.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MYR 58.5

$11.04 COP 38.5K

30.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.25

$1.14 COP 3,977

143.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.06

$2.38 COP 8,301

24.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.84 COP 2,916

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.65 MYR 47.24

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-72.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$1.41 COP 4,912

-30.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$1.90 COP 6,634

-48.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.51 MYR 38.57

$7.75 COP 27.0K

22.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.01 COP 3,509

-51.49%

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

$31.5K MYR 127.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

79.41%

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

$27.8K MYR 112.6K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.81%

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

$41.22 MYR 167

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-50.74%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.96

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-6.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 MYR 91.5

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-6.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 MYR 150

$25.31 COP 88.3K

46.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 MYR 24.28

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-68.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.81

$4.10 COP 14.3K

19.02%

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

$189 MYR 765

$312 COP 1.1M

-39.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,831 MYR 27.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

13.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.40 MYR 196

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-16.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.80 MYR 76.2

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-42.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 MYR 241

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-40.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.35 MYR 192

$109 COP 378.8K

-56.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,570

$482 COP 1.7M

-19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,081

$379 COP 1.3M

-29.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,589

$837 COP 2.9M

-23.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,906

$723 COP 2.5M

-34.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 MYR 7,866

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-31.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,095 MYR 4,440

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-10.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

13.43

-69.69%

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

Last update for Skudai: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Skudai versus $482 in Medellin. 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 Skudai versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Skudai vs $190 in Medellin – 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

Skudai vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,211 per month in Skudai and $1,525 in Medellin. 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 $19.00 in Skudai and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $807 in Skudai and $1,017 in Medellin. 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 $807, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.