Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Balzan and Marsascala

For one person, living is cheaper in Marsascala: $1,740 a month against $1,939 in Balzan, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Balzan, Malta
Marsascala, Malta
Balzan
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,939
/mo nomad
Marsascala
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,740
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Balzan and in Marsascala

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

A single person spends $1,939 per month in Balzan vs $1,740 in Marsascala, rent included.

  • Balzan $1,939
  • Marsascala $1,740

A couple spends around $2,927 per month in Balzan vs $2,641 in Marsascala, rent included.

  • Balzan $2,927
  • Marsascala $2,641

A family of three spends $3,915 per month in Balzan vs $3,542 in Marsascala, rent included.

  • Balzan $3,915
  • Marsascala $3,542

Balzan costs about 11% more than Marsascala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Balzan and Marsascala sit above the global median – Balzan by 42%, Marsascala by 28%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.68 €16.73
$19.93 €17.85
-6.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.1 €81.6
$85.0 €76.1
7.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.10 €10.84
$13.58 €12.17
-10.90%
Cappuccino
$3.09 €2.76
$2.20 €1.97
40.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.73
$2.45 €2.19
-21.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 €0.92
$1.38 €1.23
-25.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.26 €2.92
$3.94 €3.53
-17.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$3.43 €3.07
-28.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.12
$1.22 €1.09
2.46%
White Bread (500g)
$0.97 €0.87
$0.86 €0.77
12.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.52 €3.16
$3.38 €3.03
4.14%
Eggs
$4.30 €3.85
$4.18 €3.75
2.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 €9.23
$5.71 €5.11
80.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.10 €8.15
$6.22 €5.57
46.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.40 €11.10
$13.87 €12.42
-10.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 €2.37
$3.44 €3.08
-23.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 €1.83
$2.49 €2.23
-18.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 €1.51
$2.22 €1.98
-24.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.15 €1.03
$2.86 €2.57
-59.79%
Potato (1kg)
$0.86 €0.77
$2.26 €2.02
-61.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.91 €0.81
$1.85 €1.66
-50.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 €0.76
$2.29 €2.05
-62.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 €0.89
$0.85 €0.76
16.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.09 €5.46
$6.60 €5.91
-7.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.02 €5.39
$6.88 €6.16
-12.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.68 €1.51
-36.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.34
$2.39 €2.14
-37.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.01 €2.70
$2.20 €1.97
36.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.23 €2.00
$5.10 €4.57
-56.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.76 €1.58
$2.20 €1.97
-20.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.03 €28.69
$13.22 €11.84
142.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 €1.36
$1.51 €1.35
0.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K €24.6K
$31.3K €28.0K
-12.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K €28.9K
$36.0K €32.2K
-10.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$154 €138
$101 €90.5
52.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.90 €17.82
$20.54 €18.39
-3.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.97 €25.95
$27.61 €24.73
4.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.6 €65.9
$54.8 €49.07
34.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.95 €19.66
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.40 €10.21
$10.24 €9.17
11.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$280 €250
$225 €202
24.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K €10.9K
$4,512 €4,041
168.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 €52.0
$88.1 €78.9
-34.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.1 €61.9
$29.49 €26.41
134.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €98.5
$88.1 €78.9
24.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 €117
$79.9 €71.6
62.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,132 €1,014
$1,022 €916
10.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$950 €851
$841 €753
12.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,804 €1,615
$1,566 €1,402
15.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,364
$1,294 €1,159
17.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,057 €3,633
$2,942 €2,635
37.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,876 €2,575
$2,315 €2,074
24.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Balzan
Marsascala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,000 €896
$2,101 €1,881
-52.38%
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Marsascala: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Balzan
$950
Marsascala
$841 11.5% $109
Eating Out
Balzan
$256
Marsascala
$268 4.9% $13
Groceries & Markets
Balzan
$245
Marsascala
$253 3.2% $7.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Balzan
$203
Marsascala
$149 26.5% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Balzan
$165
Marsascala
$128 22.3% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Balzan
$96
Marsascala
$75 21.9% $21
Getting Around
Balzan
$23 *
Marsascala
$25 * 7.8% $1.8

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,132 in Balzan versus $1,022 in Marsascala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Marsascala are about 2.1 times higher, 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 in Balzan versus $85 in Marsascala. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Balzan vs $253 in Marsascala – so Balzan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Balzan
🇲🇹 Marsascala
🕒 Local time
15:03 3:03 PM
15:03 3:03 PM
Same time as Balzan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,700
12,134
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Balzan Marsascala 11 km
From you
  • Balzan
  • Marsascala

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
Balzan vs Marsascala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Balzan and in Marsascala compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,939 in Balzan, $1,740 in Marsascala – Marsascala comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Balzan compared to Marsascala?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,908 per month in Balzan and $2,611 in Marsascala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Balzan and Marsascala?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Marsascala, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,022 there versus $1,132 in Balzan.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $91 in Balzan and $85 in Marsascala. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Balzan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
How far does $2,500 go in Balzan compared to Marsascala?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,939 in Balzan and $1,740 in Marsascala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Balzan or Marsascala?
Families tend to lean toward Marsascala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Balzan or Marsascala safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Balzan vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?