For one person, living is cheaper in Malta: $1,970 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Malta and in the United Kingdom
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Malta and in the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,970 in Malta versus $2,462 in the United Kingdom.
Malta $1,970
United Kingdom $2,462
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,036 in Malta versus $3,600 in the United Kingdom.
Malta $3,036
United Kingdom $3,600
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,102 in Malta versus $4,738 in the United Kingdom.
Malta $4,102
United Kingdom $4,738
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $1,657–$2,871 in Malta. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.
🌍
Living in Malta costs about 20% less than in the United Kingdom on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Malta 45% above, the United Kingdom 81% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.44€14.76
$21.48£16.13
-23.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.7€74.2
$85.7£64.4
-3.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.69€10.49
$10.61£7.97
10.18%
Cappuccino
$2.75€2.47
$4.91£3.69
-43.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57€2.30
$2.66£2.00
-3.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68€1.51
$1.87£1.40
-10.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.48€4.02
$6.63£4.97
-32.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43€3.98
$6.84£5.14
-35.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.30€1.17
$1.68£1.26
-22.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.30€1.17
$1.72£1.29
-24.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.71€3.33
$2.17£1.63
70.97%
Eggs
$3.90€3.50
$4.00£3.00
-2.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.47€9.39
$9.42£7.07
11.15%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.15€9.11
$9.19£6.90
10.45%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.73€15.01
$14.77£11.08
13.27%
Apples(1kg)
$3.08€2.76
$2.97£2.23
3.70%
Banana(1kg)
$2.20€1.98
$1.62£1.22
35.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.93€2.63
$2.85£2.14
2.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.24€2.90
$3.52£2.64
-7.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.94€1.74
$1.83£1.37
6.01%
Onion(1kg)
$2.09€1.87
$1.61£1.21
29.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.90€1.70
$1.25£0.94
52.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93€0.83
$1.66£1.24
-43.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91€6.20
$23.65£17.75
-70.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.18€7.34
$10.50£7.88
-22.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72€1.54
$2.98£2.24
-42.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33€2.09
$3.51£2.64
-33.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25€2.02
$3.98£2.99
-43.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$107£80.6
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.72€5.13
$5.18£3.89
10.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.23€2.00
$2.35£1.76
-5.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.06€29.66
$26.84£20.14
23.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.48€1.33
$1.99£1.49
-25.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K€24.6K
$39.4K£29.6K
-30.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K€35.5K
$40.5K£30.4K
-2.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103€92.3
$327£246
-68.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.16€23.47
$18.21£13.67
43.66%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.75€31.18
$43.60£32.73
-20.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.0€60.1
$42.36£31.79
58.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.27€19.98
$18.22£13.68
22.23%
Cinema Ticket
$11.01€9.87
$13.85£10.39
-20.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436€391
$1,868£1,402
-76.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.2K€10.1K
$22.6K£17.0K
-50.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.7€89.5
$92.9£69.8
7.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.43€41.66
$45.92£34.47
1.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105€93.9
$102£76.3
2.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119€107
$102£76.7
16.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,230€1,104
$1,342£1,008
-8.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$974€874
$1,073£806
-9.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,093€1,878
$2,231£1,675
-6.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,660€1,490
$1,742£1,308
-4.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,503€4,041
$5,601£4,204
-19.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,344€3,000
$4,265£3,201
-21.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malta
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,766€1,585
$3,349£2,514
-47.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.06
5.32
-23.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Malta: October 26, 2026
Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Malta
$974 49.4%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 43.6% ↑ 10.2%$100
🛒Groceries & Markets
Malta
$304 15.4%
United Kingdom
$307 12.5% ↑ 1.2%$3.7
🍽Eating Out
Malta
$248 12.6%
United Kingdom
$328 13.3% ↑ 32.1%$80
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Malta
$166 8.4%
United Kingdom
$154 6.3% ↓ 7.3%$12
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malta
$164 8.3%
United Kingdom
$389 15.8% ↑ 138%$225
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Malta
$89 4.5%
United Kingdom
$70 2.9% ↓ 21.3%$19
🚌Getting Around
Malta
$26 * 1.3%
United Kingdom
$140 5.7% ↑ 442%$114
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Malta
$1.7K 40.5%
United Kingdom
$1.7K 36.8% ↑ 4.9%$82
🛒Groceries & Markets
Malta
$712 17.4%
United Kingdom
$705 14.9% ↓ 1%$6.9
🍽Eating Out
Malta
$913 22.3%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 23.1% ↑ 19.8%$181
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Malta
$370 9%
United Kingdom
$343 7.2% ↓ 7.3%$27
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malta
$190 4.6%
United Kingdom
$407 8.6% ↑ 114%$217
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Malta
$200 4.9%
United Kingdom
$158 3.3% ↓ 21%$42
🚌Getting Around
Malta
$56 * 1.4%
United Kingdom
$288 6.1% ↑ 413%$232
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,180 in Malta, $1,287 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,389 in Valletta vs $2,811 in London.
💰National salary averages: $1,801 in Malta, $3,251 in the United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 9% higher in the United Kingdom.
⭐Public transport is 237% more expensive in the United Kingdom.
⭐Salaries are 81% higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Malta or the United Kingdom?
At $1,970 per month in Malta and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, Malta comes out about 20% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do rents compare between Malta and the United Kingdom?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 in the United Kingdom and $1,180 in Malta. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $3,000 go in Malta compared to the United Kingdom?
In Malta, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in the United Kingdom 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 Malta and in the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: Malta wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.