Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsascala and Balzan Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsascala and Balzan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,634 per month in Marsascala vs $1,760 in Balzan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,629 per month in Marsascala vs $2,810 in Balzan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,623 per month in Marsascala vs $3,861 in Balzan, rent included.

Marsascala is about 7% cheaper than Balzan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Marsascala and Balzan sit above the global median – Marsascala by 22%, Balzan by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.57 €17.72

$19.32 €16.64

6.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 €80.2

$68.7 €59.2

35.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.70 €10.08

$11.51 €9.92

1.65%

Cappuccino

$2.32 €2.00

$2.77 €2.39

-16.25%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.97 €1.70

8.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.07 €0.92

38.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.91

$3.44 €2.96

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.66 €2.29

10.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.23 €1.06

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 €0.52

$0.95 €0.82

-36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 €3.70

$3.57 €3.07

20.45%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.89

$3.73 €3.21

21.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 €8.97

$9.61 €8.28

8.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 €4.85

$9.29 €8.01

-39.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 €12.22

$12.85 €11.07

10.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 €3.03

$2.62 €2.25

34.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.96 €1.69

-10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 €2.78

$1.76 €1.52

82.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.19 €1.02

109.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$0.90 €0.78

188.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.95 €0.82

35.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.85 €0.73

171.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.93 €0.80

-24.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 €5.51

$6.31 €5.43

1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.12 €6.14

$6.28 €5.41

13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.07 €0.92

11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.53 €1.32

16.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.77 €2.38

$3.11 €2.68

-10.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 €4.94

$2.34 €2.02

144.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.93 €1.66

5.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.0 €43.11

$34.19 €29.46

46.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.56 €1.35

0.64%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.1K €32.9K

$25.6K €22.1K

48.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$13.9K €12.0K

$34.2K €29.5K

-59.33%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$93.1 €80.2

$161 €139

-42.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.89 €24.03

$20.65 €17.79

35.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.35 €25.29

$33.27 €28.67

-11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 €44.65

$64.0 €55.1

-18.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.31 €16.63

$23.39 €20.15

-17.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 €9.09

$15.20 €13.10

-30.59%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$432 €372

$262 €226

64.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,517

$12.9K €11.1K

-14.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 €79.0

$104 €89.2

-11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.80 €19.65

$38.17 €32.88

-40.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 €65.1

$145 €125

-48.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 €47.88

$101 €87.2

-45.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 €753

$869 €749

0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 €651

$787 €678

-3.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 €1,329

$1,597 €1,376

-3.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 €1,125

$1,479 €1,274

-11.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,929 €2,524

$4,003 €3,449

-26.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,401 €2,069

$2,839 €2,446

-15.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,171 €1,871

$1,054 €908

106.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.46

5.43

-17.86%

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

Last update for Marsascala: June 7, 2026

Last update for Balzan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $874 in Marsascala versus $869 in Balzan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 106% higher in Marsascala, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Marsascala versus $69.0 in Balzan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $243 – making Balzan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Marsascala vs Balzan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,634 in Marsascala, $1,760 in Balzan – roughly 8% apart. Balzan costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,451 per month in Marsascala and $2,639 in Balzan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marsascala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Marsascala and $69.0 in Balzan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Balzan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Marsascala, where all-in costs run around $1,634, than in Balzan at $1,760. In Marsascala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balzan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Marsascala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Marsascala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balzan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.