Cost of Living Comparison Between Msida and Balzan Cost of Living Comparison Between Msida and Balzan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,815 per month in Msida vs $1,972 in Balzan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,745 per month in Msida vs $3,015 in Balzan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,676 per month in Msida vs $4,058 in Balzan, rent included.

Msida is about 8% cheaper than Balzan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Msida and Balzan sit above the global median – Msida by 33%, Balzan by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 €10.08

$19.31 €16.82

-40.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 €45.53

$90.8 €79.1

-42.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 €9.92

$12.59 €10.97

-9.61%

Cappuccino

$2.35 €2.04

$3.21 €2.80

-26.79%

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

$2.38 €2.07

$2.05 €1.79

16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 €1.00

$1.02 €0.89

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 €4.04

$3.41 €2.97

35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.04

$2.66 €2.32

31.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.01

$1.24 €1.08

-6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 €1.17

$0.96 €0.83

40.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 €3.93

$3.64 €3.18

23.90%

Eggs

$2.83 €2.47

$4.28 €3.73

-33.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 €7.63

$10.52 €9.16

-16.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.79 €9.40

$9.41 €8.20

14.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.22 €16.75

$12.93 €11.26

48.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 €3.70

$2.62 €2.28

61.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$2.02 €1.76

43.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 €3.30

$1.82 €1.58

107.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 €3.01

$1.14 €0.99

202.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

$0.94 €0.82

177.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$0.94 €0.82

114.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 €2.03

$0.89 €0.78

162.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.01 €0.88

37.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 €6.13

$6.49 €5.66

8.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.38 €7.30

$6.20 €5.40

35.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.07 €0.93

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.51 €1.32

60.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.06 €2.67

-23.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 €4.99

$2.27 €1.97

152.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 €2.00

$1.89 €1.64

21.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 €23.85

$33.31 €29.02

-17.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.59 €1.39

-5.03%

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

$38.3K €33.4K

$29.2K €25.4K

31.28%

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

$39.5K €34.4K

$33.4K €29.1K

18.36%

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

$84.6 €73.7

$161 €140

-47.51%

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

$26.48 €23.07

$20.77 €18.10

27.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.09 €25.35

$30.15 €26.27

-3.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 €50.6

$65.4 €57.0

-11.23%

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 €9.09

$11.96 €10.42

-12.79%

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

$379 €330

$281 €245

34.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

$12.5K €10.9K

-6.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 €77.3

$76.2 €66.3

16.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.07 €35.78

$63.1 €55.0

-34.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.5

$116 €101

-9.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 €71.7

$134 €117

-38.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 €941

$1,158 €1,009

-6.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 €821

$968 €843

-2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 €1,595

$1,815 €1,582

0.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 €1,322

$1,568 €1,366

-3.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,996 €3,481

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,833 €2,468

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,867 €2,498

$1,040 €906

175.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

4.05

-28.40%

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

Last update for Msida: September 13, 2026

Last update for Balzan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,081 in Msida versus $1,158 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 176% higher in Msida, 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 $52.0 in Msida versus $91.0 in Balzan. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Msida vs $250 in Balzan – so Balzan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Msida vs Balzan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,815 in Msida, $1,972 in Balzan – roughly 9% apart. Balzan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,722 per month in Msida and $2,958 in Balzan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Msida, 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 $52.0 in Msida and $91.0 in Balzan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% 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 Msida, where all-in costs run around $1,815, than in Balzan at $1,972. In Msida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balzan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Msida – 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 Msida. 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.