Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Malatya Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Malatya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $650 in Malatya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $983 in Malatya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,316 in Malatya.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 281% more expensive than in Malatya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Malatya is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.31

$4.91 ₺240

281.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$25.30 ₺1,234

174.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.98

$7.31 ₺357

88.37%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.65 ₺80.5

87.88%

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

$2.83 €2.46

$0.91 ₺44.53

210.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.22 ₺10.71

754.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$2.40 ₺117

65.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.94

$3.43 ₺167

32.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$0.85 ₺41.40

49.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$0.76 ₺36.87

184.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.70 ₺132

-34.81%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.46

$1.91 ₺93.3

168.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.56

$7.97 ₺389

124.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.40

$2.42 ₺118

298.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.54

$16.99 ₺828

18.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$1.46 ₺71.1

122.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.56 ₺76.0

42.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$0.86 ₺41.83

202.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$0.74 ₺35.90

272.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$0.44 ₺21.31

402.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$0.39 ₺18.85

443.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.56 ₺27.20

176.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.44 ₺21.61

115.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.39

$1.92 ₺93.8

282.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.00

$8.17 ₺398

-1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.34

$2.01 ₺97.8

-23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$2.30 ₺112

21.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.70

$0.28 ₺13.45

1010.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$0.87 ₺42.60

275.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.46 ₺22.34

221.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.83

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.26 ₺61.6

37.30%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$38.4K ₺1.9M

-5.21%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$37.3K ₺1.8M

-18.12%

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

$187 €163

$30.46 ₺1,485

514.18%

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

$15.14 €13.18

$10.38 ₺506

45.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.80

$10.74 ₺524

250.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.68

$36.03 ₺1,757

55.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.87

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.93

$3.62 ₺176

215.19%

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

$997 €867

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.6

$15.25 ₺744

507.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.88

$14.37 ₺701

186.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.8

$54.9 ₺2,675

102.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$36.66 ₺1,788

241.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,486

$325 ₺15.9K

424.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,119

$220 ₺10.7K

485.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,233

$425 ₺20.7K

503.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,690

$304 ₺14.8K

539.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,655

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,497

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,044

$954 ₺46.5K

146.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

-93.28%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Malatya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $325 in Malatya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 146% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Malatya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $186 per month, with Malatya cheaper across the board.

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

Barcelona vs Malatya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Malatya differ by about 281% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $650 including rent). Malatya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 146% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $325 in Malatya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Malatya – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $650 in Malatya – a 281% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Malatya versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Malatya but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Malatya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Malatya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Malatya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 281% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.