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: $2,015 in Germany versus $1,958 in Malta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,048 in Germany versus $2,952 in Malta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,080 in Germany versus $3,945 in Malta.

Living in Germany is roughly 3% more expensive than Malta on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Germany 50% above, Malta 45% above.

Germany ($1,361$2,848) and Malta ($1,572$3,064) 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
$17.27 €14.69
$17.26 €14.69
0.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.6 €65.2
$81.2 €69.1
-5.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.69 €9.95
$11.62 €9.89
0.60%
Cappuccino
$4.13 €3.51
$2.77 €2.35
49.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 €2.84
$2.42 €2.06
38.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 €2.60
$1.66 €1.42
83.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.28 €4.49
$4.01 €3.41
31.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 €3.86
$4.60 €3.91
-1.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Germany
Malta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.11
$1.33 €1.13
-1.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.25 €1.91
$1.28 €1.09
75.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.30 €2.81
$3.62 €3.08
-8.84%
Eggs
$3.94 €3.36
$3.88 €3.30
1.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.76 €12.56
$10.46 €8.90
41.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.38 €12.24
$9.61 €8.18
49.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.53 €16.62
$16.63 €14.15
17.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.17 €2.70
$3.12 €2.66
1.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 €1.54
$2.08 €1.77
-12.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 €1.91
$2.81 €2.39
-20.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.96 €4.22
$3.28 €2.79
51.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 €1.36
$1.95 €1.66
-17.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 €1.35
$2.09 €1.78
-24.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.82 €1.55
$1.87 €1.59
-2.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 €0.90
$0.96 €0.82
10.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.78 €8.32
$6.91 €5.88
41.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.42 €5.46
$8.29 €7.05
-22.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 €0.94
$1.76 €1.50
-37.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.43
$2.42 €2.06
-30.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Germany
Malta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.75 €3.20
$2.37 €2.01
58.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.1 €57.1
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.66 €4.82
$5.96 €5.07
-5.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.23 €1.90
$2.13 €1.81
4.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.11 €32.43
$43.36 €36.90
-12.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.72
$1.53 €1.31
32.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.6K €26.9K
$27.9K €23.7K
13.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K €32.3K
$34.1K €29.0K
11.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
Malta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$353 €300
$108 €91.5
228.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.42 €23.34
$28.04 €23.86
-2.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.8 €44.91
$36.45 €31.02
44.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Germany
Malta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.00 €34.89
$65.7 €55.9
-37.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.60 €20.94
$24.80 €21.11
-0.81%
Cinema Ticket
$14.00 €11.92
$10.56 €8.99
32.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Germany
Malta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$465 €396
$546 €464
-14.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.0K €12.8K
$11.3K €9,612
32.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Germany
Malta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.4 €78.6
$101 €86.0
-8.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.28 €36.83
$46.77 €39.80
-7.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €87.3
$100 €85.3
2.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 €114
$111 €94.1
21.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Germany
Malta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,027 €874
$1,128 €960
-8.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$764 €650
$953 €811
-19.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,900 €1,617
$1,896 €1,613
0.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 €1,216
$1,465 €1,247
-2.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,440 €5,480
$4,604 €3,918
39.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,243 €3,611
$3,447 €2,933
23.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Germany
Malta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,484 €2,965
$1,906 €1,622
82.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.98
4.73
-15.86%

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

Last update for Germany: April 12, 2026

Last update for Malta: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $846 in Germany, $1,123 in Malta. Capital cities: $1,393 in Berlin vs $1,265 in Valletta.

National salary averages: $3,230 in Germany, $1,867 in Malta. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 33% higher in Malta.

Public transport is 933% more expensive in Germany.

Salaries are 73% higher in Germany, giving Germany stronger purchasing power.

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 $2,105 per month in Germany and $2,318 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?
Germany is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 vs Malta?
In Germany, $3,000 covers most cities easily. In Malta, it works in regional areas but 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 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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