Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valletta and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,589 a month against $2,260 in Valletta, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Valletta
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,260
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Valletta and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Valletta and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,260 per month in Valletta vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Valletta $2,260
  • Medellin $1,589

A couple spends around $3,486 per month in Valletta vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Valletta $3,486
  • Medellin $2,364

A family of three spends $4,711 per month in Valletta vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Valletta $4,711
  • Medellin $3,139

Valletta costs about 42% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Valletta and Medellin sit above the global median – Valletta by 69%, Medellin by 19%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.88 €20.42
$8.01 COP 25.5K
185.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.6 €80.0
$46.55 COP 148.3K
92.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.64 €12.18
$9.43 COP 30.1K
44.64%
Cappuccino
$3.17 €2.83
$2.91 COP 9,277
8.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 €2.09
$1.75 COP 5,585
33.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 €1.78
$1.32 COP 4,218
50.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.52 €4.92
$3.13 COP 9,969
76.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.89 €6.15
$5.55 COP 17.7K
24.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.41 COP 4,495
-2.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.27
$2.44 COP 7,777
-41.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.48 €3.10
$1.63 COP 5,191
113.50%
Eggs
$4.33 €3.86
$2.82 COP 8,990
53.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.41 €9.29
$9.69 COP 30.9K
7.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.06 €10.76
$9.32 COP 29.7K
29.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.93 €16.00
$13.46 COP 42.9K
33.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 €3.30
$4.00 COP 12.8K
-7.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
$1.48 COP 4,719
80.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.87 €3.45
$2.12 COP 6,768
82.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.75 €3.35
$2.25 COP 7,178
66.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 €1.68
$1.91 COP 6,092
-1.57%
Onion (1kg)
$3.28 €2.93
$1.62 COP 5,160
102.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.29 €2.04
$1.15 COP 3,658
99.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.26 COP 4,021
19.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 €5.67
$3.82 COP 12.2K
66.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.86 €5.23
$13.11 COP 41.8K
-55.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.13
$1.60 COP 5,083
48.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.14
$2.26 COP 7,188
6.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.88 €2.57
$1.17 COP 3,731
146.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.0 COP 239.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.88 €3.46
$1.27 COP 4,056
205.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.85 €1.65
$2.05 COP 6,531
-9.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.52 €29.02
$8.20 COP 26.1K
296.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.27 COP 4,046
15.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K €25.2K
$26.8K COP 85.3M
5.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K €34.9K
$34.4K COP 109.6M
13.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$154 €138
$162 COP 516.9K
-4.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.14 €27.79
$13.12 COP 41.8K
137.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.25 €26.10
$28.09 COP 89.5K
4.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.9 €53.4
$44.33 COP 141.2K
35.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.39 €18.19
$16.33 COP 52.0K
24.86%
Cinema Ticket
$11.35 €10.13
$6.09 COP 19.4K
86.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$276 €246
$764 COP 2.4M
-63.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K €11.0K
$8,904 COP 28.4M
38.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.1 €50.9
$85.0 COP 270.8K
-32.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.6 €62.2
$57.5 COP 183.2K
21.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 €100
$132 COP 419.8K
-14.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 €116
$95.8 COP 305.1K
36.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,432 €1,278
$1,028 COP 3.3M
39.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,096 €978
$604 COP 1.9M
81.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,321 €2,964
$1,802 COP 5.7M
84.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,052 €1,831
$993 COP 3.2M
106.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,252 €4,687
$3,921 COP 12.5M
33.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,997 €3,567
$1,639 COP 5.2M
143.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Valletta
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,012 €1,796
$626 COP 2.0M
221.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.05
10.94
-62.98%

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

Last update for Valletta: October 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Valletta
$1.1K
Medellin
$604 44.8% $491
Groceries & Markets
Valletta
$341
Medellin
$288 15.5% $53
Eating Out
Valletta
$321
Medellin
$166 48.1% $154
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valletta
$215
Medellin
$203 5.2% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Valletta
$166
Medellin
$166 0.2% $0.3
Sport & Entertainment
Valletta
$83
Medellin
$57 31.6% $26
Getting Around
Valletta
$25 *
Medellin
$91 270% $67

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,432 in Valletta versus $1,028 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 221% higher in Valletta, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Valletta versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $288 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Valletta
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
07:36 7:36 AM
00:36 12:36 AM
7 h behind Valletta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,700 Capital
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Valletta Medellin 9,610 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Valletta
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Valletta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Valletta?
Yes – Valletta is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,390 per month in Valletta and $2,384 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Valletta or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Valletta and $47.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Valletta and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Valletta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Valletta or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Valletta at $2,260. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Valletta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Valletta or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Valletta or Medellin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Valletta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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