Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malatya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malatya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $650 in Malatya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $983 in Malatya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,316 in Malatya.

Living in Medellin is roughly 159% more expensive than in Malatya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Malatya is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.91 ₺240

63.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$25.30 ₺1,234

89.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.31 ₺357

35.29%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.65 ₺80.5

89.70%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.91 ₺44.53

109.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.22 ₺10.71

586.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.40 ₺117

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.43 ₺167

67.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.85 ₺41.40

69.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.76 ₺36.87

227.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.70 ₺132

-34.44%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.91 ₺93.3

54.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.97 ₺389

26.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$2.42 ₺118

318.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$16.99 ₺828

-15.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.46 ₺71.1

183.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.56 ₺76.0

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.86 ₺41.83

161.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.74 ₺35.90

204.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.44 ₺21.31

363.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.39 ₺18.85

294.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.56 ₺27.20

108.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.44 ₺21.61

197.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$1.92 ₺93.8

103.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.17 ₺398

71.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.01 ₺97.8

-13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.30 ₺112

24.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.28 ₺13.45

335.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.87 ₺42.60

50.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.46 ₺22.34

376.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.26 ₺61.6

8.73%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$38.4K ₺1.9M

-27.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$37.3K ₺1.8M

-4.09%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$177 COP 562.9K

$30.46 ₺1,485

482.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$10.38 ₺506

33.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$10.74 ₺524

176.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$36.03 ₺1,757

24.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$3.62 ₺176

83.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$15.25 ₺744

486.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$14.37 ₺701

310.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$54.9 ₺2,675

151.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$36.66 ₺1,788

178.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$325 ₺15.9K

226.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$220 ₺10.7K

201.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$425 ₺20.7K

343.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$304 ₺14.8K

238.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$954 ₺46.5K

-28.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-76.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malatya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $325 in Malatya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malatya pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Malatya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $186 per month, with Malatya cheaper across the board.

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

Medellin and Malatya differ by about 159% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $650 including rent). Malatya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Malatya. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $325 in Malatya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Malatya – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $650 in Malatya – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Malatya versus $1,681 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Malatya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.