๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,363 in United Kingdom versus $1,958 in Malta.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,474 in United Kingdom versus $2,952 in Malta.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in United Kingdom versus $3,945 in Malta.
๐Living in United Kingdom is roughly 21% more expensive than Malta on average.
๐Both countries sit above the global median: United Kingdom75% above, Malta45% above.
๐Internal cost variation is higher in United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,694 to $4,000, compared to $1,572โ$3,064 in Malta. City choice carries more weight in United Kingdom.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.53ยฃ15.21
$17.26โฌ14.69
18.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.0ยฃ65.2
$81.2โฌ69.1
8.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.00ยฃ7.41
$11.62โฌ9.89
-13.94%
Cappuccino
$4.59ยฃ3.40
$2.77โฌ2.35
65.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49ยฃ1.85
$2.42โฌ2.06
2.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68ยฃ1.24
$1.66โฌ1.42
1.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.76ยฃ5.01
$4.01โฌ3.41
68.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26ยฃ4.64
$4.60โฌ3.91
36.09%
๐ Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64ยฃ1.22
$1.33โฌ1.13
23.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.73ยฃ1.28
$1.28โฌ1.09
35.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18ยฃ1.61
$3.62โฌ3.08
-39.78%
Eggs
$4.06ยฃ3.01
$3.88โฌ3.30
4.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.49ยฃ7.03
$10.46โฌ8.90
-9.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.81ยฃ6.53
$9.61โฌ8.18
-8.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.17ยฃ10.50
$16.63โฌ14.15
-14.79%
Apples(1kg)
$3.02ยฃ2.24
$3.12โฌ2.66
-3.21%
Banana(1kg)
$1.60ยฃ1.19
$2.08โฌ1.77
-23.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.89ยฃ2.14
$2.81โฌ2.39
2.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.42ยฃ2.53
$3.28โฌ2.79
4.27%
Potato(1kg)
$1.64ยฃ1.21
$1.95โฌ1.66
-15.90%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54ยฃ1.14
$2.09โฌ1.78
-26.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.11ยฃ0.82
$1.87โฌ1.59
-40.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52ยฃ1.13
$0.96โฌ0.82
58.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$20.02ยฃ14.83
$6.91โฌ5.88
189.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.73ยฃ7.95
$8.29โฌ7.05
29.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.87ยฃ2.12
$1.76โฌ1.50
63.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27ยฃ2.42
$2.42โฌ2.06
35.12%
๐ Getting Around
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.23ยฃ2.40
$2.37โฌ2.01
36.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$95.8ยฃ71.0
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.55ยฃ4.11
$5.96โฌ5.07
-6.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.57ยฃ1.17
$2.13โฌ1.81
-26.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.67ยฃ19.76
$43.36โฌ36.90
-38.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.97ยฃ1.46
$1.53โฌ1.31
28.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.1Kยฃ28.2K
$27.9Kโฌ23.7K
36.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3Kยฃ30.6K
$34.1Kโฌ29.0K
21.04%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$326ยฃ242
$108โฌ91.5
203.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.49ยฃ12.96
$28.04โฌ23.86
-37.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.23ยฃ32.03
$36.45โฌ31.02
18.60%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.40ยฃ34.39
$65.7โฌ55.9
-29.41%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.14ยฃ11.96
$24.80โฌ21.11
-34.92%
Cinema Ticket
$13.45ยฃ9.96
$10.56โฌ8.99
27.37%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,734ยฃ1,285
$546โฌ464
217.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$21.5Kยฃ15.9K
$11.3Kโฌ9,612
90.02%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.1ยฃ68.2
$101โฌ86.0
-8.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.35ยฃ32.87
$46.77โฌ39.80
-5.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101ยฃ74.8
$100โฌ85.3
0.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105ยฃ77.6
$111โฌ94.1
-5.29%
๐ Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,419ยฃ1,052
$1,128โฌ960
25.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,154ยฃ855
$953โฌ811
21.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,304ยฃ1,707
$1,896โฌ1,613
21.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,865ยฃ1,382
$1,465โฌ1,247
27.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,885ยฃ4,361
$4,604โฌ3,918
27.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,601ยฃ3,409
$3,447โฌ2,933
33.47%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,290ยฃ2,438
$1,906โฌ1,622
72.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.75
4.73
21.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for United Kingdom: April 14, 2026
Last update for Malta: April 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ National rent averages: $1,267 in United Kingdom, $1,123 in Malta. Capital cities: $2,993 in London vs $1,265 in Valletta.
๐ฐNational salary averages: $3,204 in United Kingdom, $1,867 in Malta. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
โญRent is 13% higher in United Kingdom.
โญPublic transport is 1450% more expensive in United Kingdom.
โญSalaries are 72% higher in United Kingdom, giving United Kingdom stronger purchasing power.
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
United Kingdom vs Malta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Malta or United Kingdom?
At $2,318 per month in Malta and $2,847 in United Kingdom, there's a 23% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Malta or United Kingdom?
Malta 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.
How do rents compare between Malta and United Kingdom?
Rent in United Kingdom beats Malta across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $3,000 go in Malta vs United Kingdom?
In Malta, $3,000 covers most cities easily. In United Kingdom, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Malta and United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after. Malta wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
United Kingdom vs other spots: cost of living compared