Cost of Living Comparison Between Balzan and Mellieha Cost of Living Comparison Between Balzan and Mellieha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,988 per month in Balzan vs $1,957 in Mellieha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,009 per month in Balzan vs $2,965 in Mellieha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,030 per month in Balzan vs $3,973 in Mellieha, rent included.

Balzan costs about 2% more than Mellieha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Balzan and Mellieha sit above the global median – Balzan by 44%, Mellieha by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.91 €16.30

$17.52 €15.10

7.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €80.3

$67.7 €58.4

37.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.71 €10.96

$10.87 €9.37

16.93%

Cappuccino

$3.38 €2.92

$2.90 €2.50

16.55%

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

$1.97 €1.70

$2.45 €2.11

-19.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.99 €1.71

-48.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$4.13 €3.56

-13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.30

$7.06 €6.08

-62.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.42 €1.23

-8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.41 €1.22

-32.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$3.69 €3.18

-4.07%

Eggs

$4.47 €3.85

$4.46 €3.85

0.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 €9.11

$10.74 €9.26

-1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 €7.87

$10.14 €8.74

-9.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.53 €10.80

$18.87 €16.27

-33.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$3.95 €3.41

-31.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.88 €2.48

-26.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$3.97 €3.42

-55.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 €1.02

$3.97 €3.43

-70.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 €0.83

$1.95 €1.68

-50.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 €0.79

$3.42 €2.95

-73.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.69 €1.46

-47.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.82

$1.14 €0.98

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 €5.65

$6.45 €5.56

1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 €5.44

$6.04 €5.21

4.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$2.51 €2.17

-56.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.36 €2.03

-35.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 €2.76

$2.92 €2.51

9.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 €2.05

$3.95 €3.41

-39.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.83 €1.57

4.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.57 €29.80

$34.10 €29.40

1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.52 €1.31

3.95%

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

$28.8K €24.8K

$29.4K €25.4K

-2.22%

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

$33.7K €29.1K

$40.6K €35.0K

-17.01%

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

$162 €140

$107 €92.5

51.46%

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

$20.49 €17.66

$31.64 €27.28

-35.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.93 €25.80

$30.22 €26.05

-0.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €55.4

$65.5 €56.4

-1.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 €10.29

$8.50 €7.32

40.47%

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

$292 €251

$286 €247

1.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K €11.0K

$12.6K €10.9K

1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.1 €65.6

$74.2 €64.0

2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 €56.1

$40.94 €35.29

58.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$85.5 €73.7

37.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €117

$76.9 €66.3

76.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 €1,018

$1,187 €1,024

-0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$983 €847

$968 €835

1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 €1,560

$1,807 €1,557

0.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,361

$1,565 €1,349

0.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,033 €3,476

$3,940 €3,396

2.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,927 €2,523

$2,907 €2,506

0.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,059 €913

$1,377 €1,187

-23.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.05

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

Last update for Balzan: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mellieha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,181 in Balzan versus $1,187 in Mellieha. 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 30% higher in Mellieha, 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 $93.0 in Balzan versus $68.0 in Mellieha. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Balzan vs $336 in Mellieha – 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 Mellieha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,988 in Balzan, $1,957 in Mellieha – roughly 2% apart. Balzan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,982 per month in Balzan and $2,936 in Mellieha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mellieha, 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 $93.0 in Balzan and $68.0 in Mellieha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Balzan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mellieha, where all-in costs run around $1,957, than in Balzan at $1,988. In Mellieha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balzan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mellieha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mellieha. 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.