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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $967 in Malatya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,478 in Malatya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,988 in Malatya.

Living in Medellin is roughly 4% more expensive than in Malatya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Malatya 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.48 ₺166

69.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$25.33 ₺1,204

30.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.18 ₺294

20.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.19 ₺104

-24.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.00 ₺47.35

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.39 ₺18.62

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.08 ₺146

-44.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.39 ₺161

-6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.07 ₺51.0

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.45 ₺21.20

180.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.98 ₺94.2

-30.30%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.72 ₺129

-19.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.25 ₺535

-60.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.98 ₺237

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$20.89 ₺993

-57.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.17 ₺55.5

98.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.01 ₺95.6

-47.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.03 ₺48.77

47.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.16 ₺55.2

17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.86 ₺41.10

31.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.75 ₺35.50

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.67 ₺31.78

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.38 ₺18.29

136.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.17 ₺103

2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.48 ₺403

42.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.47 ₺117

-51.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.46 ₺165

-28.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.64 ₺30.25

32.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$30.23 ₺1,437

37.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.09 ₺52.0

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.61 ₺29.11

219.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$7.77 ₺369

1.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.09 ₺51.6

-9.17%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$41.3K ₺2.0M

-57.35%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$44.3K ₺2.1M

-39.55%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$60.9 ₺2,896

36.24%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.11 ₺433

6.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$8.99 ₺427

161.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$43.34 ₺2,060

-41.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.58 ₺123

53.10%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$620 ₺29.5K

-49.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,918 ₺423.9K

-33.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$18.98 ₺902

216.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$25.48 ₺1,211

24.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.4 ₺3,630

33.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$51.6 ₺2,453

108.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$512 ₺24.3K

-7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$396 ₺18.8K

-5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$878 ₺41.7K

-3.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$705 ₺33.5K

2.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$960 ₺45.6K

-34.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-71.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Malatya: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $512 in Malatya. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Malatya. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $231, 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

Medellin and Malatya differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $967 including rent). Malatya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 54% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $512 in Malatya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $620 in Malatya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

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 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.