🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $989 in Malatya versus $1,017 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Malatya versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Malatya versus $2,188 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Malatya costs roughly 3% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Malatya26% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.63₺168
$5.95COP 20.8K
-38.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.76₺1,192
$33.33COP 116.3K
-22.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.21₺287
$7.23COP 25.2K
-14.11%
Cappuccino
$2.21₺102
$1.63COP 5,687
35.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00₺46.05
$1.09COP 3,821
-8.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39₺18.26
$0.73COP 2,548
-46.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.98₺138
$1.74COP 6,065
71.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46₺160
$3.23COP 11.3K
7.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05₺48.51
$1.05COP 3,662
-
White Bread(500g)
$0.44₺20.46
$1.29COP 4,515
-65.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.98₺91.8
$1.32COP 4,617
50.00%
Eggs
$2.73₺126
$2.27COP 7,927
20.26%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.19₺518
$4.35COP 15.2K
157.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.08₺235
$5.88COP 20.5K
-13.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.63₺955
$8.61COP 30.0K
139.61%
Apples(1kg)
$1.15₺53.3
$2.25COP 7,844
-48.89%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01₺93.1
$1.07COP 3,733
87.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.07₺49.30
$1.52COP 5,322
-29.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.20₺55.3
$1.42COP 4,964
-15.49%
Potato(1kg)
$0.80₺36.89
$1.17COP 4,084
-31.62%
Onion(1kg)
$0.76₺35.32
$1.17COP 4,077
-35.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67₺30.92
$0.89COP 3,096
-24.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38₺17.78
$0.90COP 3,146
-57.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18₺101
$2.25COP 7,837
-3.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.87₺503
$11.04COP 38.5K
-1.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.47₺114
$1.14COP 3,977
116.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44₺159
$2.38COP 8,301
44.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.67₺30.92
$0.84COP 2,916
-20.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.19₺1,397
$41.95COP 146.4K
-28.03%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.08₺50.2
$1.41COP 4,912
-23.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58₺26.78
$1.90COP 6,634
-69.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.40₺342
$7.75COP 27.0K
-4.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.08₺50.1
$1.01COP 3,509
6.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.9K₺1.9M
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
132.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.9K₺2.0M
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
65.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.0₺2,915
$83.7COP 292.1K
-24.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.11₺421
$9.45COP 33.0K
-3.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.91₺412
$24.11COP 84.1K
-63.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.10₺2,040
$25.31COP 88.3K
74.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.14COP 66.8K
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.59₺120
$4.10COP 14.3K
-36.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$602₺27.8K
$312COP 1.1M
92.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,865₺410.1K
$5,993COP 20.9M
47.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.92₺875
$58.0COP 202.6K
-67.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.05₺1,159
$32.56COP 113.6K
-23.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₺3,545
$99.6COP 347.7K
-23.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.8₺2,395
$109COP 378.8K
-52.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$517₺23.9K
$482COP 1.7M
7.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$396₺18.3K
$379COP 1.3M
4.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$901₺41.7K
$837COP 2.9M
7.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719₺33.3K
$723COP 2.5M
-0.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,840COP 9.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,223COP 4.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malatya
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$959₺44.4K
$541COP 1.9M
77.35%
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Malatya and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Malatya pays 77% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $26.00 in Malatya vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 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 3% in total monthly costs ($989 vs $1,017 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 77% 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: $517 in Malatya versus $482 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 39% 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 $312 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 $989 in Malatya versus $1,017 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 3% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.