Cost of Living Comparison Between Balzan and Birgu Cost of Living Comparison Between Balzan and Birgu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,972 per month in Balzan vs $1,806 in Birgu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,015 per month in Balzan vs $2,933 in Birgu, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,058 per month in Balzan vs $4,059 in Birgu, rent included.

Balzan costs about 9% more than Birgu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Balzan and Birgu sit above the global median – Balzan by 44%, Birgu by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.31 €16.73

$20.47 €17.74

-5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.8 €78.7

$89.7 €77.7

1.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 €10.91

$12.08 €10.47

4.22%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.78

$2.75 €2.38

16.73%

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

$2.05 €1.78

$2.26 €1.96

-9.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.68 €1.46

-39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 €2.95

$4.63 €4.01

-26.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 €2.30

$5.37 €4.65

-50.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.44 €1.24

-13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 €0.83

$1.37 €1.19

-29.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 €3.16

$4.37 €3.78

-16.70%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.71

$4.09 €3.55

4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 €9.11

$8.49 €7.36

23.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.15

$8.71 €7.55

8.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.93 €11.20

$16.18 €14.02

-20.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 €2.27

$2.95 €2.55

-11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.23 €1.07

64.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 €1.57

$2.96 €2.56

-38.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.85 €2.47

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 €0.82

$2.38 €2.06

-60.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 €0.82

$1.76 €1.53

-46.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 €0.77

$2.35 €2.04

-62.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.88

$0.95 €0.82

6.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.49 €5.63

$6.93 €6.01

-6.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 €5.37

$8.30 €7.20

-25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.93

$1.63 €1.41

-34.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.31

$2.44 €2.12

-38.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 €2.65

$2.53 €2.19

20.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.22 €12.32

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 €1.96

$5.67 €4.92

-59.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.18 €1.03

60.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.31 €28.87

$27.60 €23.92

20.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.38

$1.53 €1.32

3.92%

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

$29.2K €25.3K

$27.2K €23.6K

7.25%

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

$33.4K €28.9K

$33.5K €29.0K

-0.32%

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

$161 €140

$107 €92.8

50.55%

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

$20.77 €18.00

$26.29 €22.78

-21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.15 €26.13

$33.44 €28.98

-9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.4 €56.7

$46.56 €40.35

40.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$70.0 €60.7

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 €10.37

$10.58 €9.17

13.04%

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

$281 €244

$377 €327

-25.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K €10.8K

$2,056 €1,782

506.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 €66.0

$26.30 €22.79

189.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 €54.7

$34.35 €29.77

83.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$104 €89.7

12.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €116

$116 €100

15.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 €1,003

$1,026 €889

12.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$968 €839

$831 €720

16.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 €1,573

$1,803 €1,562

0.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 €1,359

$1,563 €1,354

0.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,996 €3,463

$3,956 €3,428

1.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,833 €2,455

$2,841 €2,462

-0.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,040 €901

$1,994 €1,728

-47.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.05

2.9

39.66%

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

Last update for Balzan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Birgu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,158 in Balzan versus $1,026 in Birgu. 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 92% higher in Birgu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Balzan versus $90.0 in Birgu. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Balzan vs $289 in Birgu – so Balzan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Balzan vs Birgu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,972 in Balzan, $1,806 in Birgu – roughly 9% apart. Balzan costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,958 per month in Balzan and $2,710 in Birgu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Birgu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Balzan and $90.0 in Birgu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Balzan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Birgu, where all-in costs run around $1,806, than in Balzan at $1,972. In Birgu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balzan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Birgu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,806 in Birgu to $1,972 in Balzan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Birgu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balzan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.