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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $819 per month in Skudai vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Skudai vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Skudai vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Skudai is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skudai and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 38% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.55

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-39.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.7

$32.96 COP 103.9K

-43.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.78

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-34.86%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.87

$1.65 COP 5,211

76.36%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$1.10 COP 3,471

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.51

$0.78 COP 2,460

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 MYR 14.23

$1.72 COP 5,416

102.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.87

$3.18 COP 10.0K

60.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.71

$1.10 COP 3,477

71.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.26 COP 3,965

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.23

$1.38 COP 4,353

-7.25%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$2.18 COP 6,864

-14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 MYR 43.44

$4.49 COP 14.2K

136.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.95

$5.79 COP 18.3K

-40.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 MYR 32.59

$8.97 COP 28.3K

-11.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.24

$2.32 COP 7,314

18.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.21

$1.06 COP 3,355

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.44

$1.52 COP 4,778

68.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.36 COP 4,273

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.13 COP 3,555

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.17 COP 3,692

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.63

$0.90 COP 2,840

-1.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.90 COP 2,826

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.66

$2.23 COP 7,039

94.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 MYR 56.5

$12.12 COP 38.2K

14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 MYR 11.43

$1.19 COP 3,746

135.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.16

$2.48 COP 7,822

20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.85 COP 2,690

-12.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 MYR 47.30

$41.62 COP 131.1K

-72.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.42 COP 4,462

-27.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.95 COP 6,146

-47.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.16 MYR 37.39

$7.89 COP 24.8K

16.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.99 COP 3,121

-49.49%

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

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

76.83%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.7K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

2.10%

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

$41.45 MYR 169

$83.0 COP 261.6K

-50.07%

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

$8.86 MYR 36.20

$9.70 COP 30.6K

-8.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.05 MYR 94.1

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 MYR 153

$25.26 COP 79.6K

48.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 MYR 24.70

$19.10 COP 60.2K

-68.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.73

$3.95 COP 12.4K

28.61%

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

$188 MYR 768

$316 COP 995.1K

-40.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,044 MYR 28.8K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

17.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.37 MYR 198

$60.0 COP 189.1K

-19.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.89 MYR 77.2

$31.82 COP 100.3K

-40.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.9 MYR 236

$102 COP 320.4K

-43.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.51 MYR 190

$107 COP 338.6K

-56.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,601

$475 COP 1.5M

-17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,113

$374 COP 1.2M

-27.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,603

$849 COP 2.7M

-24.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,912

$719 COP 2.3M

-34.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 MYR 7,759

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-41.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,065 MYR 4,349

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-26.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Skudai versus $475 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 $193 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 22%, 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 $1,229 per month in Skudai and $1,504 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 $819 in Skudai and $1,003 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 $819, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.