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 $807 per month in Skudai vs $909 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Skudai vs $1,337 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,639 per month in Skudai vs $1,765 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Skudai is about 11% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skudai and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 40% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.30

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-2.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 MYR 77.8

$18.88 MYR 76.6

1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.57

$4.69 MYR 19.02

2.99%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.05

$2.71 MYR 10.99

9.59%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.68 MYR 2.74

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.37 MYR 1.49

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.64

$3.51 MYR 14.24

2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 MYR 20.69

$4.96 MYR 20.10

2.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.41

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.10

$0.95 MYR 3.85

6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.08

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-28.16%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.29

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 MYR 43.87

$10.81 MYR 43.82

0.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.96

$3.56 MYR 14.45

-3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 MYR 33.69

$7.94 MYR 32.21

4.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.90

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.44

$2.47 MYR 10.04

4.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.04

$1.21 MYR 4.89

2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.15 MYR 4.65

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.57

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.80

$0.94 MYR 3.83

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.89

$4.13 MYR 16.74

0.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MYR 58.5

$19.45 MYR 78.9

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.25

$2.74 MYR 11.09

1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.06

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-21.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.65 MYR 47.24

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-2.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$0.99 MYR 4.00

-1.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$0.32 MYR 1.32

206.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.51 MYR 38.57

$9.35 MYR 37.92

1.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.47 MYR 1.90

4.26%

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

$31.5K MYR 127.9K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

0.80%

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

$27.8K MYR 112.6K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

-1.40%

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

$41.22 MYR 167

$40.93 MYR 166

0.71%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.96

$8.87 MYR 35.97

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 MYR 91.5

$23.16 MYR 93.9

-2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 MYR 150

$36.87 MYR 149

0.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 MYR 24.28

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-17.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.81

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-2.59%

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

$189 MYR 765

$209 MYR 849

-9.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,831 MYR 27.7K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-15.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.40 MYR 196

$48.47 MYR 197

-0.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.80 MYR 76.2

$33.99 MYR 138

-44.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 MYR 241

$53.9 MYR 219

10.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.35 MYR 192

$48.57 MYR 197

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,570

$471 MYR 1,911

-17.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,081

$347 MYR 1,407

-23.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,589

$817 MYR 3,311

-21.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,906

$543 MYR 2,200

-13.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 MYR 7,866

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-38.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,095 MYR 4,440

$210 MYR 851

421.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 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: $219 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 13% 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 $1,211 per month in Skudai and $1,364 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 3% less in Skudai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $189 per month in Skudai and $209 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 $807 in Skudai and $909 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $807 versus $909 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.