🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $967 in Malatya versus $1,003 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,478 in Malatya versus $1,573 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,988 in Malatya versus $2,143 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Malatya costs roughly 4% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Malatya27% lower, Medellin25% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.48₺166
$5.91COP 18.6K
-41.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.33₺1,204
$32.96COP 103.8K
-23.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.18₺294
$7.43COP 23.4K
-16.82%
Cappuccino
$2.19₺104
$1.65COP 5,207
32.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00₺47.35
$1.10COP 3,468
-9.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39₺18.62
$0.78COP 2,458
-50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.08₺146
$1.72COP 5,412
79.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39₺161
$3.18COP 10.0K
6.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07₺51.0
$1.10COP 3,474
-2.73%
White Bread(500g)
$0.45₺21.20
$1.26COP 3,962
-64.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.98₺94.2
$1.38COP 4,349
43.48%
Eggs
$2.72₺129
$2.18COP 6,858
24.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.25₺535
$4.49COP 14.1K
150.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.98₺237
$5.79COP 18.2K
-13.99%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.89₺993
$8.97COP 28.2K
132.89%
Apples(1kg)
$1.17₺55.5
$2.32COP 7,308
-49.57%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01₺95.6
$1.06COP 3,352
89.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.03₺48.77
$1.52COP 4,774
-32.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.16₺55.2
$1.36COP 4,270
-14.71%
Potato(1kg)
$0.86₺41.10
$1.13COP 3,552
-23.89%
Onion(1kg)
$0.75₺35.50
$1.17COP 3,689
-35.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67₺31.78
$0.90COP 2,838
-25.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38₺18.29
$0.90COP 2,823
-57.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.17₺103
$2.23COP 7,034
-2.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.48₺403
$12.12COP 38.2K
-30.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.47₺117
$1.19COP 3,743
107.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46₺165
$2.48COP 7,815
39.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.64₺30.25
$0.85COP 2,687
-24.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.23₺1,437
$41.62COP 131.0K
-27.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.09₺52.0
$1.42COP 4,459
-23.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.61₺29.11
$1.95COP 6,141
-68.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.77₺369
$7.89COP 24.8K
-1.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.09₺51.6
$0.99COP 3,118
10.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.3K₺2.0M
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
134.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.3K₺2.1M
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
65.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$60.9₺2,896
$83.0COP 261.4K
-26.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.11₺433
$9.70COP 30.5K
-6.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.99₺427
$23.52COP 74.1K
-61.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.34₺2,060
$25.26COP 79.5K
71.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.10COP 60.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.58₺123
$3.95COP 12.4K
-34.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$620₺29.5K
$316COP 994.2K
96.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,918₺423.9K
$5,975COP 18.8M
49.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.98₺902
$60.0COP 188.9K
-68.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.48₺1,211
$31.82COP 100.2K
-19.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.4₺3,630
$102COP 320.1K
-24.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.6₺2,453
$107COP 338.3K
-51.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$512₺24.3K
$475COP 1.5M
7.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$396₺18.8K
$374COP 1.2M
5.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$878₺41.7K
$849COP 2.7M
3.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$705₺33.5K
$719COP 2.3M
-2.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,265COP 10.3M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,441COP 4.5M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$960₺45.6K
$624COP 2.0M
53.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
47
13.43
249.96%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Malatya: July 25, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Malatya and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Malatya pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $25.00 in Malatya vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.
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
Malatya vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Malatya and in Medellin?
Malatya and Medellin differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($967 vs $1,003 including rent). Malatya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Malatya or Medellin?
Average pay runs 54% higher in Malatya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Malatya and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $512 in Malatya versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Malatya and in Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Malatya runs roughly 38% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Malatya and Medellin?
Childcare runs $620 in Malatya versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $967 in Malatya versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Malatya but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Malatya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Malatya and Medellin?
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.
Is Malatya or Medellin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Malatya and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Malatya or Medellin?
Expats usually find Malatya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.