🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $971 in Malatya versus $1,034 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,484 in Malatya versus $1,577 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,998 in Malatya versus $2,120 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Malatya costs roughly 6% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Malatya27% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.53₺159
$5.92COP 21.4K
-40.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.22₺1,139
$32.75COP 118.2K
-22.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.21₺280
$7.20COP 26.0K
-13.75%
Cappuccino
$2.14₺96.8
$1.70COP 6,140
25.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00₺45.18
$1.10COP 3,966
-9.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36₺16.31
$0.72COP 2,605
-50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.08₺139
$1.67COP 6,022
84.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51₺158
$3.10COP 11.2K
13.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09₺49.25
$1.06COP 3,809
2.83%
White Bread(500g)
$0.44₺19.90
$1.25COP 4,497
-64.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.05₺92.7
$1.39COP 5,022
47.48%
Eggs
$2.66₺120
$2.26COP 8,168
17.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.35₺512
$4.33COP 15.6K
162.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.92₺222
$5.84COP 21.1K
-15.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.66₺933
$8.83COP 31.9K
133.98%
Apples(1kg)
$1.17₺52.8
$2.24COP 8,099
-47.77%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01₺90.8
$1.08COP 3,882
86.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.07₺48.22
$1.53COP 5,522
-30.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.20₺54.2
$1.37COP 4,950
-12.41%
Potato(1kg)
$0.81₺36.78
$1.13COP 4,078
-28.32%
Onion(1kg)
$0.74₺33.61
$1.12COP 4,036
-33.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66₺29.88
$0.85COP 3,057
-22.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38₺17.19
$0.91COP 3,281
-58.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.19₺98.9
$2.33COP 8,414
-6.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.01₺497
$11.13COP 40.2K
-1.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.55₺115
$1.19COP 4,309
114.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47₺157
$2.37COP 8,553
46.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.67₺30.15
$0.79COP 2,838
-15.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$31.07₺1,402
$41.13COP 148.5K
-24.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.05₺47.61
$1.44COP 5,184
-27.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.61₺27.32
$1.91COP 6,901
-68.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.49₺338
$8.02COP 28.9K
-6.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.08₺48.63
$0.94COP 3,385
14.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.8K₺1.8M
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
127.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.2K₺2.0M
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
68.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$61.5₺2,776
$84.0COP 303.1K
-26.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.00₺406
$9.60COP 34.7K
-6.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.73₺394
$24.16COP 87.2K
-63.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.83₺1,933
$25.88COP 93.4K
65.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.58₺117
$3.92COP 14.1K
-34.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$602₺27.2K
$306COP 1.1M
96.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,797₺397.1K
$5,919COP 21.4M
48.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.68₺843
$57.9COP 209.1K
-67.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.91₺1,124
$31.82COP 114.9K
-21.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.9₺3,380
$99.9COP 360.6K
-25.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.3₺2,313
$107COP 386.8K
-52.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$520₺23.5K
$487COP 1.8M
6.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$392₺17.7K
$368COP 1.3M
6.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$889₺40.1K
$826COP 3.0M
7.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$713₺32.2K
$716COP 2.6M
-0.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$985₺44.4K
$546COP 2.0M
80.47%
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: April 28, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Malatya and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Malatya pays 80% 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 $236 vs $190, 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 Medellin?
Malatya and Medellin differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($971 vs $1,034 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?
Malatya pays 80% more on average, 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 Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $520 in Malatya versus $487 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 Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Malatya runs roughly 32% 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 $602 in Malatya versus $306 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 $971 in Malatya versus $1,034 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 6% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.