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 $819 per month in Skudai vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Skudai vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Skudai vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Skudai is about 10% 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

$3.56 MYR 14.55

$3.50 MYR 14.28

1.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.7

$19.15 MYR 78.2

-3.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.78

$4.78 MYR 19.53

1.26%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.87

$2.78 MYR 11.34

4.68%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.72 MYR 2.96

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.51

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 MYR 14.23

$3.61 MYR 14.75

-3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 MYR 20.87

$4.93 MYR 20.13

3.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.71

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$0.93 MYR 3.81

1.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.23

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-28.49%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-15.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 MYR 43.44

$10.52 MYR 42.97

1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.95

$3.41 MYR 13.92

0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 MYR 32.59

$8.28 MYR 33.81

-3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.24

$2.65 MYR 10.83

3.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.21

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.44

$2.53 MYR 10.32

1.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.20 MYR 4.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.18 MYR 4.80

-2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.63

$0.96 MYR 3.93

-7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.66

$4.20 MYR 17.17

3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 MYR 56.5

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-30.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 MYR 11.43

$2.78 MYR 11.35

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.16

$3.97 MYR 16.20

-24.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 MYR 47.30

$11.59 MYR 47.34

-0.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.02 MYR 4.16

0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$0.33 MYR 1.34

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.16 MYR 37.39

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-2.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.46 MYR 1.87

8.70%

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

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

0.30%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.7K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

-3.15%

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

$41.45 MYR 169

$40.45 MYR 165

2.47%

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

$8.86 MYR 36.20

$9.18 MYR 37.49

-3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.05 MYR 94.1

$22.64 MYR 92.5

1.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 MYR 153

$37.27 MYR 152

0.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 MYR 24.70

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-17.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.73

$4.88 MYR 19.94

4.10%

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

$188 MYR 768

$208 MYR 850

-9.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,044 MYR 28.8K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-12.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.37 MYR 198

$48.20 MYR 197

0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.89 MYR 77.2

$34.63 MYR 141

-45.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.9 MYR 236

$54.0 MYR 221

7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.51 MYR 190

$49.14 MYR 201

-5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,601

$460 MYR 1,880

-14.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,113

$340 MYR 1,389

-19.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,603

$826 MYR 3,375

-22.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,912

$538 MYR 2,196

-12.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 MYR 7,759

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-39.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,065 MYR 4,349

$204 MYR 834

421.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,203

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Skudai versus $460 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 $236 – 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 11% 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 $1,229 per month in Skudai and $1,367 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 0% less in Skudai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $188 per month in Skudai and $208 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 $819 in Skudai and $912 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $819 versus $912 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.