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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $906 per month in Skudai vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Skudai vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,738 per month in Skudai vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Skudai is about 46% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Skudai sits 34% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.83

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-54.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 MYR 87.8

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-55.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 MYR 20.37

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-49.65%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$3.13 COP 9,873

-4.15%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$1.91 COP 6,019

-59.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$1.51 COP 4,763

-70.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MYR 13.20

$3.12 COP 9,853

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 MYR 24.33

$5.75 COP 18.1K

3.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.14

$1.44 COP 4,558

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$2.49 COP 7,843

-58.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.14

$1.77 COP 5,595

-15.25%

Eggs

$1.75 MYR 7.15

$2.96 COP 9,336

-40.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.62

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-1.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 MYR 13.71

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-66.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 MYR 39.35

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-32.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 MYR 14.11

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$1.61 COP 5,073

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 11.18

$2.25 COP 7,083

21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.92

$2.25 COP 7,104

-24.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.82

$2.04 COP 6,444

-30.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.89

$1.54 COP 4,842

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MYR 5.37

$1.17 COP 3,691

11.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$1.31 COP 4,121

-58.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 17.02

$3.90 COP 12.3K

6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 MYR 59.0

$14.01 COP 44.2K

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.25

$1.74 COP 5,498

58.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 MYR 12.72

$2.87 COP 9,053

8.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.21

$1.22 COP 3,834

-36.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.11 MYR 49.57

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-84.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.18

$1.31 COP 4,129

-3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$2.19 COP 6,899

-82.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.19 MYR 37.61

$8.71 COP 27.5K

5.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$1.37 COP 4,306

-43.80%

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

$41.1K MYR 168.4K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

47.79%

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

$32.1K MYR 131.6K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-10.15%

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

$49.87 MYR 204

$177 COP 559.3K

-71.87%

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

$8.45 MYR 34.58

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-39.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.27 MYR 112

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-8.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.02 MYR 184

$44.88 COP 141.6K

0.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.57 MYR 30.98

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-55.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.69

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-27.67%

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

$162 MYR 664

$813 COP 2.6M

-80.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,398 MYR 18.0K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-52.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 MYR 210

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-42.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.77 MYR 68.6

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-71.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 MYR 322

$138 COP 435.9K

-43.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.23 MYR 165

$102 COP 322.1K

-60.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,518

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-65.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 MYR 1,258

$663 COP 2.1M

-53.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 MYR 3,031

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-60.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 MYR 1,817

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-56.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,214 MYR 9,062

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-47.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 MYR 4,986

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-27.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

10.94

-62.89%

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

Last update for Skudai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $371 in Skudai versus $1,062 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 $21.00 in Skudai versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $305 – 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

Skudai vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 86%, 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 $1,359 per month in Skudai and $2,521 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 $21.00 in Skudai and $48.00 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 $906 in Skudai and $1,681 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 $906, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.