Cost of Living Comparison Between Malta and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Malta and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,958 in Malta versus $388 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,960 in Malta versus $617 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,961 in Malta versus $845 in India.

Living in Malta is roughly 405% more expensive than in India on average.

Malta (47% above) and India (71% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Malta: monthly costs span $1,578 to $2,994, compared to $267$900 in India. City choice carries more weight in Malta.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Malta
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.07 €15.01
$2.61 ₹252
554.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.1 €70.5
$13.92 ₹1,344
475.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.35 €9.98
$3.99 ₹386
184.46%
Cappuccino
$2.87 €2.52
$1.89 ₹183
51.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 €2.17
$0.44 ₹42.27
461.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 €1.41
$0.16 ₹15.37
906.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 €3.46
$1.96 ₹189
100.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 €3.84
$3.39 ₹327
28.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malta
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 €1.18
$0.68 ₹66.1
98.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.35 €1.18
$0.52 ₹49.77
159.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.69 €3.24
$0.72 ₹69.7
412.50%
Eggs
$3.71 €3.26
$0.91 ₹88.2
307.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.48 €9.21
$5.22 ₹504
100.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 €8.44
$3.09 ₹298
211.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.59 €14.58
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 €2.70
$2.21 ₹213
38.91%
Banana (1kg)
$2.16 €1.90
$0.70 ₹67.5
208.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 €2.47
$1.04 ₹100
169.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.33 €2.92
$0.53 ₹50.9
528.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 €1.75
$0.39 ₹37.78
412.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.11 €1.86
$0.45 ₹43.49
368.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.64
$0.55 ₹53.1
240.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.82
$0.35 ₹33.94
168.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.60 €5.81
$4.06 ₹392
62.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.25 €7.25
$7.49 ₹723
10.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.56
$1.91 ₹184
-7.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 €2.05
$2.99 ₹288
-22.07%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.78 ₹558
-
🚌 Getting Around
Malta
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.27 €1.99
$0.34 ₹32.39
567.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$9.75 ₹941
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.81 €5.10
$0.98 ₹94.3
492.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.06 €1.81
$0.28 ₹26.92
635.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.20 €38.85
$1.78 ₹171
2383.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 €1.33
$1.17 ₹113
29.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.6K
$14.1K ₹1.4M
99.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K €30.0K
$22.7K ₹2.2M
50.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malta
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$107 €93.7
$41.03 ₹3,962
159.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.89 €24.52
$3.77 ₹364
639.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.62 €32.19
$7.68 ₹742
376.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malta
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 €59.1
$16.49 ₹1,592
307.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.31 €21.37
$7.63 ₹737
218.61%
Cinema Ticket
$10.79 €9.49
$3.43 ₹331
214.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malta
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$559 €491
$70.0 ₹6,755
698.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K €9,665
$1,851 ₹178.7K
493.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malta
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €88.4
$24.90 ₹2,405
303.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.21 €40.63
$26.83 ₹2,591
72.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.2 €87.2
$45.28 ₹4,372
118.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 €99.0
$33.56 ₹3,241
235.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malta
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,150 €1,011
$173 ₹16.7K
565.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$960 €844
$115 ₹11.1K
737.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 €1,654
$407 ₹39.3K
362.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 €1,326
$264 ₹25.5K
471.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,327 €3,804
$1,229 ₹118.7K
252.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,294 €2,896
$633 ₹61.1K
420.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malta
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,818 €1,598
$425 ₹41.1K
327.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.73
9.02
-47.56%

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

Last update for Malta: July 22, 2026

Last update for India: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,125 in Malta, $127 in India. Capital cities: $1,268 in Valletta vs $235 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $1,781 in Malta, $396 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 786% higher in Malta.

Dining out costs 600% more in Malta.

Public transport is 50% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 350% higher in Malta, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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
Malta vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Malta?
At $584 per month in India and $2,286 in Malta, there's a 292% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Malta is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Malta?
In India, $1,000 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.
Should I move to India or to Malta?
It depends on what you're after: India 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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