Cost of Living Comparison Between Skudai and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Skudai and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $831 per month in Skudai vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Skudai vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Skudai vs $1,798 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Skudai is about 9% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skudai and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 38% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 13.83

$3.44 MYR 13.59

1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 MYR 73.8

$18.50 MYR 73.1

0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$4.61 MYR 18.21

2.39%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.50

$2.78 MYR 10.97

4.68%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.82

$0.67 MYR 2.65

5.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$0.36 MYR 1.43

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 MYR 14.40

$3.57 MYR 14.08

2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 19.89

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-2.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-5.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.66

$0.97 MYR 3.82

-4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.16

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-26.82%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.43

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-16.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 MYR 42.43

$10.69 MYR 42.24

0.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.47

$3.56 MYR 14.04

-4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 MYR 32.02

$8.22 MYR 32.46

-1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 10.77

$2.69 MYR 10.61

1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.83

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 9.83

$2.48 MYR 9.81

0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.50

$1.19 MYR 4.69

-4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.32

$1.34 MYR 5.29

0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.47

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 MYR 56.3

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-29.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 10.92

$2.77 MYR 10.94

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.31

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-27.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-2.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 47.28

$11.70 MYR 46.22

2.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$0.98 MYR 3.88

3.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$0.35 MYR 1.38

194.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.18 MYR 36.27

$9.03 MYR 35.68

1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.50 MYR 1.98

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

$32.0K MYR 126.6K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

0.68%

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

$27.8K MYR 109.8K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

-0.94%

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

$41.28 MYR 163

$40.25 MYR 159

2.56%

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

$8.99 MYR 35.49

$9.09 MYR 35.92

-1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 MYR 89.3

$22.94 MYR 90.6

-1.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 147

$37.39 MYR 148

-0.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 23.46

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-20.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.06

$4.99 MYR 19.72

1.80%

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

$187 MYR 738

$214 MYR 846

-12.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,822 MYR 26.9K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-15.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 MYR 194

$48.73 MYR 192

0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.81 MYR 74.3

$33.82 MYR 134

-44.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.2 MYR 230

$55.0 MYR 217

5.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.23 MYR 183

$49.39 MYR 195

-6.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$471 MYR 1,860

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,076

$347 MYR 1,371

-21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,575

$820 MYR 3,240

-20.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,877

$555 MYR 2,190

-14.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 MYR 7,819

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-40.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$791 MYR 3,124

$211 MYR 833

275.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.49

-9.35%

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

Last update for Skudai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Skudai versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. 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 $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $239 – 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 Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Petaling Jaya costs about 9% more than Skudai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,246 per month in Skudai and $1,365 in Petaling Jaya. 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 2% less in Skudai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Skudai and $214 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $831 in Skudai and $910 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $831 versus $910 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.