😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $971 in Malatya.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,484 in Malatya.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,998 in Malatya.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 6% more expensive than Malatya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Malatya27% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$3.53₺159
67.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$25.22₺1,139
29.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$6.21₺280
15.94%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$2.14₺96.8
-20.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$1.00₺45.18
10.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.36₺16.31
100.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$3.08₺139
-45.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$3.51₺158
-11.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.09₺49.25
-2.75%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$0.44₺19.90
184.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$2.05₺92.7
-32.20%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$2.66₺120
-15.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$11.35₺512
-61.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$4.92₺222
18.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$20.66₺933
-57.26%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$1.17₺52.8
91.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$2.01₺90.8
-46.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.07₺48.22
42.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.20₺54.2
14.17%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$0.81₺36.78
39.51%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$0.74₺33.61
51.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.66₺29.88
28.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.38₺17.19
139.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$2.19₺98.9
6.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$11.01₺497
1.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$2.55₺115
-53.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$3.47₺157
-31.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.67₺30.15
17.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$31.07₺1,402
32.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$1.05₺47.61
37.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.61₺27.32
213.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$7.49₺338
7.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.08₺48.63
-12.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$40.8K₺1.8M
-56.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$45.2K₺2.0M
-40.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$61.5₺2,776
36.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$9.00₺406
6.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$8.73₺394
176.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$42.83₺1,933
-39.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$2.58₺117
51.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$602₺27.2K
-49.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$8,797₺397.1K
-32.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$18.68₺843
210.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$24.91₺1,124
27.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$74.9₺3,380
33.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$51.3₺2,313
109.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$520₺23.5K
-6.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$392₺17.7K
-6.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$889₺40.1K
-7.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$713₺32.2K
0.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Malatya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$985₺44.4K
-44.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
47
-71.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Last update for Malatya: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $520 in Malatya. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Malatya. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $236, 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
Medellin vs Malatya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Malatya?
Medellin and Malatya differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $971 including rent). Malatya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Malatya earns 80% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Malatya?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $520 in Malatya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Medellin and Malatya?
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 Medellin and Malatya?
Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $602 in Malatya. 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 Medellin and 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.
Is Medellin or Malatya safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin 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.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Malatya?
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.