Cost of Living Comparison Between Germany and Malta Cost of Living Comparison Between Germany and Malta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,062 in Germany versus $2,057 in Malta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,093 in Germany versus $3,112 in Malta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,124 in Germany versus $4,166 in Malta.

Both countries sit above the global median: Germany 50% above, Malta 49% above.

Germany ($1,373$2,819) and Malta ($1,684$2,939) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Germany
Malta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.76 €15.27
$17.15 €14.75
3.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.8 €65.1
$85.6 €73.6
-11.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.99 €11.17
$12.09 €10.39
7.44%
Cappuccino
$4.21 €3.62
$2.92 €2.51
44.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 €3.11
$2.68 €2.30
34.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 €2.71
$1.74 €1.50
81.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.15 €4.43
$4.58 €3.94
12.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.76 €4.09
$4.71 €4.05
1.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Germany
Malta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 €1.19
$1.38 €1.19
0.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 €1.95
$1.37 €1.18
65.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.67 €3.15
$3.88 €3.34
-5.41%
Eggs
$4.04 €3.48
$4.00 €3.44
1.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.25 €13.11
$11.17 €9.60
36.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.19 €10.48
$10.09 €8.68
20.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.15 €19.04
$17.32 €14.89
27.89%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 €2.83
$3.23 €2.78
1.86%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 €1.77
$2.29 €1.97
-10.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 €2.03
$3.00 €2.58
-21.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.45 €3.83
$3.27 €2.81
36.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.48 €1.27
$2.03 €1.74
-27.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 €1.27
$2.29 €1.97
-35.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.70 €1.46
$1.98 €1.70
-14.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.92
$1.03 €0.89
3.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.26 €8.82
$6.93 €5.96
48.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.84 €5.02
$8.23 €7.08
-29.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 €0.97
$1.82 €1.56
-37.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.44
$2.47 €2.12
-32.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Germany
Malta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.91 €3.36
$2.35 €2.02
66.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.4 €63.9
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.49 €4.72
$5.74 €4.94
-4.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.93 €2.52
$2.27 €1.95
29.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.10 €35.33
$33.86 €29.11
21.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 €1.88
$1.52 €1.30
43.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.6K €28.9K
$28.5K €24.5K
17.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K €34.4K
$39.5K €34.0K
1.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
Malta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$361 €310
$108 €92.6
235.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.64 €22.04
$27.51 €23.66
-6.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2 €43.13
$36.00 €30.96
39.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Germany
Malta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.38 €35.58
$69.3 €59.6
-40.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.86 €24.81
$21.83 €18.77
32.20%
Cinema Ticket
$15.35 €13.20
$11.31 €9.73
35.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Germany
Malta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$595 €511
$426 €366
39.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.1K €15.6K
$11.4K €9,797
59.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Germany
Malta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.3 €79.4
$101 €87.2
-8.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.49 €38.25
$47.21 €40.59
-5.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €89.4
$108 €93.1
-4.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €117
$121 €104
12.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Germany
Malta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$937 €806
$1,216 €1,046
-22.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 €610
$1,009 €867
-29.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,718 €1,477
$2,020 €1,737
-14.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 €1,153
$1,629 €1,400
-17.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,286 €5,405
$4,506 €3,875
39.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,188 €3,601
$3,446 €2,963
21.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Germany
Malta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,400 €2,923
$1,815 €1,561
87.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.96
4.16
-4.81%

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

Last update for Germany: September 7, 2026

Last update for Malta: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $838 in Germany, $1,222 in Malta. Capital cities: $1,533 in Berlin vs $1,485 in Valletta.

National salary averages: $3,229 in Germany, $1,853 in Malta. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 46% higher in Malta.

Dining out costs 14% more in Malta.

Public transport is 1033% more expensive in Germany.

Salaries are 74% higher in Germany, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Germany.

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
Germany vs Malta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Germany or Malta?
At $2,096 per month in Germany and $2,312 in Malta, there's a 10% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Germany or Malta?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Germany: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Germany and Malta?
Rent in Malta is consistently higher than in Germany across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $3,000 go in Germany compared to Malta?
In Germany, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in Malta it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Germany and in Malta?
It depends on what you're after: Germany wins on affordability; Malta may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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