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 $389 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,952 in Malta versus $618 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,945 in Malta versus $846 in India.

Living in Malta is roughly 403% more expensive than India on average.

Malta (45% above) and India (71% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Malta: monthly costs span $1,572 to $3,064, compared to $268$899 in India. City choice carries more weight in Malta.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Malta
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.26 €14.69
$2.63 ₹244
556.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.2 €69.1
$13.85 ₹1,285
486.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 €9.89
$3.99 ₹370
191.23%
Cappuccino
$2.77 €2.35
$1.90 ₹176
45.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.06
$0.40 ₹37.11
505.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 €1.42
$0.19 ₹17.55
773.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.41
$1.96 ₹182
104.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.60 €3.91
$3.46 ₹321
32.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malta
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 €1.13
$0.69 ₹63.6
92.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.28 €1.09
$0.51 ₹47.60
150.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.62 €3.08
$0.73 ₹67.8
395.89%
Eggs
$3.88 €3.30
$0.98 ₹91.0
295.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.46 €8.90
$5.43 ₹504
92.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 €8.18
$3.19 ₹296
201.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.63 €14.15
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.12 €2.66
$2.12 ₹197
47.17%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 €1.77
$0.76 ₹70.1
173.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.81 €2.39
$1.04 ₹96.9
170.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.28 €2.79
$0.52 ₹48.61
530.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 €1.66
$0.40 ₹37.00
387.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 €1.78
$0.45 ₹42.04
364.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.59
$0.55 ₹50.9
240.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 €0.82
$0.35 ₹32.68
174.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 €5.88
$3.99 ₹370
73.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.29 €7.05
$7.55 ₹700
9.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 €1.50
$1.84 ₹170
-4.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.06
$3.05 ₹283
-20.66%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.81 ₹539
-
🚌 Getting Around
Malta
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.37 €2.01
$0.34 ₹31.50
597.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$9.85 ₹914
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.96 €5.07
$0.97 ₹89.8
514.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 €1.81
$0.28 ₹25.61
660.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.36 €36.90
$1.69 ₹157
2465.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 €1.31
$1.22 ₹113
25.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K €23.7K
$14.2K ₹1.3M
96.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K €29.0K
$22.8K ₹2.1M
49.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malta
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$108 €91.5
$40.60 ₹3,768
164.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.04 €23.86
$3.75 ₹348
647.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.45 €31.02
$8.13 ₹754
348.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malta
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.7 €55.9
$16.08 ₹1,492
308.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.80 €21.11
$7.72 ₹717
221.24%
Cinema Ticket
$10.56 €8.99
$3.40 ₹315
210.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malta
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$546 €464
$68.7 ₹6,379
693.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K €9,612
$1,787 ₹165.8K
531.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malta
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €86.0
$25.17 ₹2,335
301.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.77 €39.80
$26.56 ₹2,465
76.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 €85.3
$44.85 ₹4,161
123.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 €94.1
$33.83 ₹3,139
226.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malta
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,128 €960
$177 ₹16.4K
537.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$953 €811
$111 ₹10.3K
761.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,896 €1,613
$415 ₹38.5K
357.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,465 €1,247
$256 ₹23.8K
472.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,604 €3,918
$1,245 ₹115.5K
269.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,447 €2,933
$636 ₹59.0K
442.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malta
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,906 €1,622
$434 ₹40.3K
339.03%
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: April 12, 2026

Last update for India: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,123 in Malta, $127 in India. Capital cities: $1,265 in Valletta vs $237 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $1,867 in Malta, $400 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 784% higher in Malta.

Dining out costs 600% more in Malta.

Public transport is 50% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 367% higher in Malta.

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 $2,318 in Malta, there's a 297% 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?
India 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Malta beats 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 Malta?
In India, $1,000 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.
Should I move to India or 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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