The locals are mostly involved in the agriculture sector, particularly in the oil palm and rubber estates surrounding the town.

There are some public listed companies which have their offices and factories in Kulai, such as Yi-Lai Industry Berhad located in Batu 23 (Jalan Kulai-Air Hitam) ; SCGM Berhad which located in Batu 24 1/2 (Jalan Kulai-Air Hitam) and JCY International Berhad which located in Kelapa Sawit Kulai is also within the Iskandar Development Region (IDR).

The Masjid Jamek is located within Kulai town and serve the needs of the Muslim community.

Kulai was an important stopover on the Johor Bahru–Kuala Lumpur trunk road in the 1970s and 1980s until the North–South Expressway opened in 1994, which bypassed the town.

Kulai railway station located nearby the trunk road and served by KTM Intercity Gemas-JB Sentral shuttle train.