Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Malatya

For one person, living is cheaper in Malatya: $687 a month against $1,218 in Izmir, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Izmir, Turkey
Malatya, Turkey
Izmir
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,218
/mo nomad
Malatya
🇹🇷 Turkey
$687
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Izmir and in Malatya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Izmir and in Malatya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Izmir versus $687 in Malatya.

  • Izmir $1,218
  • Malatya $687

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,900 in Izmir versus $1,058 in Malatya.

  • Izmir $1,900
  • Malatya $1,058

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,582 in Izmir versus $1,429 in Malatya.

  • Izmir $2,582
  • Malatya $1,429

Living in Izmir is roughly 77% more expensive than in Malatya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 10% lower, Malatya 49% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.89 ₺495
$4.74 ₺237
108.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.57 ₺1,829
$29.59 ₺1,480
23.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.31 ₺416
$7.27 ₺364
14.31%
Cappuccino
$3.69 ₺184
$1.56 ₺78.1
136.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 ₺76.4
$0.93 ₺46.35
64.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₺31.69
$0.32 ₺15.81
96.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 ₺171
$2.21 ₺111
54.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 ₺256
$3.51 ₺176
46.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 ₺55.9
$0.79 ₺39.47
41.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.01 ₺50.3
$0.76 ₺38.20
32.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.26 ₺113
$2.68 ₺134
-15.67%
Eggs
$2.50 ₺125
$1.73 ₺86.4
44.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.51 ₺476
$8.15 ₺408
16.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.08 ₺254
$2.28 ₺114
122.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.81 ₺1,041
$15.99 ₺800
30.14%
Apples (1kg)
$1.99 ₺99.3
$1.61 ₺80.6
23.60%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 ₺105
$1.56 ₺78.2
33.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 ₺50.9
$0.79 ₺39.36
29.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.42 ₺71.0
$0.74 ₺37.04
91.89%
Potato (1kg)
$0.58 ₺29.17
$0.39 ₺19.69
48.72%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 ₺20.47
$0.37 ₺18.62
10.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 ₺52.6
$0.51 ₺25.72
105.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ₺39.72
$0.48 ₺23.88
64.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.19 ₺109
$1.94 ₺97.1
12.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.04 ₺602
$11.94 ₺597
0.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 ₺99.8
$1.84 ₺92.2
8.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 ₺156
$2.14 ₺107
45.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 ₺36.17
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.39 ₺2,120
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.56 ₺178
$0.73 ₺36.73
387.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 ₺55.0
$0.69 ₺34.50
59.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.86 ₺243
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 ₺70.5
$1.33 ₺66.4
6.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.6K ₺2.3M
$40.2K ₺2.0M
13.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.3K ₺2.3M
$40.5K ₺2.0M
11.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.3 ₺4,216
$30.18 ₺1,510
179.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.46 ₺523
$10.13 ₺507
3.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.54 ₺777
$14.05 ₺703
10.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.7 ₺3,386
$35.41 ₺1,771
91.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.07 ₺1,504
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.23 ₺412
$5.23 ₺262
57.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$590 ₺29.5K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.1K ₺1.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.81 ₺2,342
$15.02 ₺751
211.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.08 ₺1,804
$71.1 ₺3,558
-49.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.3 ₺4,566
$50.1 ₺2,505
82.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 ₺3,971
$29.91 ₺1,496
165.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$593 ₺29.6K
$332 ₺16.6K
78.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$424 ₺21.2K
$217 ₺10.9K
94.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 ₺57.1K
$466 ₺23.3K
144.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$779 ₺39.0K
$326 ₺16.3K
138.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,359 ₺68.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,015 ₺50.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Izmir
Malatya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,160 ₺58.0K
$1,105 ₺55.3K
4.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
41.22
43
-4.14%

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

Last update for Izmir: November 1, 2026

Last update for Malatya: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Izmir
$424
Malatya
$217 48.7% $206
Groceries & Markets
Izmir
$247
Malatya
$188 23.7% $58
Eating Out
Izmir
$184
Malatya
$102 44.9% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Izmir
$114
Malatya
$75 34.5% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Izmir
$110
Malatya
$54 50.7% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Izmir
$84
Malatya
$46 45.5% $38
Getting Around
Izmir
$54
Malatya
$4.2 * 92.3% $50

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $593 in Izmir and $332 in Malatya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Izmir pays 5% 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: $37 in Izmir vs $30 in Malatya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $188 per month, with Malatya cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Izmir
🇹🇷 Malatya
🕒 Local time
01:08 1:08 AM
01:08 1:08 AM
Same time as Izmir
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,493,242
781,305
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 50.02 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.31 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Izmir Malatya 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Izmir
  • Malatya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Izmir vs Malatya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Izmir or Malatya?
Malatya wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Izmir. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Malatya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Izmir or in Malatya?
Average pay runs 5% higher in Izmir, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Izmir compared to Malatya?
Rent for a central apartment: $593 in Izmir versus $332 in Malatya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Izmir compared to Malatya?
All in, you’ll spend $1,218 per month in Izmir versus $687 in Malatya – Malatya is about 44% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Are groceries more expensive in Izmir or in Malatya?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Izmir. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Izmir or in Malatya?
At $687 in Malatya versus $1,218 in Izmir, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Malatya but tight or insufficient in Izmir. The gap between the two cities makes Malatya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Izmir or Malatya?
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.
How safe is Izmir compared to Malatya?
Safety-wise, Izmir and Malatya are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Izmir or to Malatya?
It comes down to priorities – Malatya wins on affordability, Izmir on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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