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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $831 per month in Skudai vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Skudai vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Skudai vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Skudai is about 20% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skudai and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 38% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 13.83

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-40.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 MYR 73.8

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-42.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-34.44%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.50

$1.70 COP 6,140

71.18%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.82

$1.10 COP 3,966

-35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$0.72 COP 2,605

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 MYR 14.40

$1.67 COP 6,022

118.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 19.89

$3.10 COP 11.2K

62.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$1.06 COP 3,809

69.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.66

$1.25 COP 4,497

-25.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.16

$1.39 COP 5,022

-5.76%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.43

$2.26 COP 8,168

-16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 MYR 42.43

$4.33 COP 15.6K

148.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.47

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-41.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 MYR 32.02

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 10.77

$2.24 COP 8,099

21.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.83

$1.08 COP 3,882

37.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 9.83

$1.53 COP 5,522

62.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.37 COP 4,950

-7.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.50

$1.13 COP 4,078

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.32

$1.12 COP 4,036

20.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$0.85 COP 3,057

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.91 COP 3,281

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.47

$2.33 COP 8,414

78.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 MYR 56.3

$11.13 COP 40.2K

28.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 10.92

$1.19 COP 4,309

131.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.31

$2.37 COP 8,553

20.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.79 COP 2,838

-7.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 47.28

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-70.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.44 COP 5,184

-29.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$1.91 COP 6,901

-46.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.18 MYR 36.27

$8.02 COP 28.9K

14.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.94 COP 3,385

-46.81%

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

$32.0K MYR 126.6K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

78.80%

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

$27.8K MYR 109.8K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

3.74%

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

$41.28 MYR 163

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-50.83%

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

$8.99 MYR 35.49

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-6.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 MYR 89.3

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-6.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 147

$25.88 COP 93.4K

43.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 23.46

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-68.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.06

$3.92 COP 14.1K

29.59%

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

$187 MYR 738

$306 COP 1.1M

-39.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,822 MYR 26.9K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

15.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 MYR 194

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-15.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.81 MYR 74.3

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.2 MYR 230

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-41.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.23 MYR 183

$107 COP 386.8K

-56.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$487 COP 1.8M

-21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,076

$368 COP 1.3M

-26.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,575

$826 COP 3.0M

-21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,877

$716 COP 2.6M

-33.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 MYR 7,819

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-32.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$791 MYR 3,124

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-43.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Skudai versus $487 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 – $217 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 24%, 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 $1,246 per month in Skudai and $1,550 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 $831 in Skudai and $1,034 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 $831, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.