Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Malta Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Malta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,363 in United Kingdom versus $1,956 in Malta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,474 in United Kingdom versus $2,955 in Malta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in United Kingdom versus $3,953 in Malta.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 21% more expensive than Malta on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: United Kingdom 76% above, Malta 46% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,678 to $3,892, compared to $1,564$2,976 in Malta. City choice carries more weight in United Kingdom.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.41 £15.31
$17.39 €15.09
17.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.0 £65.3
$80.1 €69.5
8.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.13 £7.60
$11.51 €9.99
-11.99%
Cappuccino
$4.70 £3.52
$2.77 €2.40
69.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 £1.77
$2.56 €2.22
-7.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 £1.32
$1.60 €1.39
10.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.66 £5.00
$4.03 €3.49
65.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.43 £4.82
$4.59 €3.98
40.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 £1.28
$1.30 €1.13
30.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 £1.22
$1.32 €1.15
23.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 £1.72
$3.68 €3.19
-37.77%
Eggs
$4.03 £3.02
$3.77 €3.27
6.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.77 £7.32
$10.38 €9.01
-5.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.92 £6.69
$9.51 €8.25
-6.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.31 £10.73
$17.19 €14.91
-16.75%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 £2.28
$3.21 €2.79
-4.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 £1.20
$2.08 €1.81
-22.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 £2.13
$2.76 €2.39
2.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.53 £2.65
$3.29 €2.85
7.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 £1.20
$1.96 €1.70
-17.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 £1.18
$2.16 €1.87
-27.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 £0.88
$1.87 €1.63
-37.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 £1.17
$0.90 €0.78
73.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.03 £15.02
$6.87 €5.96
191.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.90 £8.17
$8.10 €7.02
34.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 £2.18
$1.86 €1.61
55.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 £2.54
$2.43 €2.11
39.09%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.17 £2.37
$2.34 €2.03
35.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.2 £71.4
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 £4.09
$5.87 €5.09
-7.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 £1.19
$2.14 €1.86
-25.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.31 £20.48
$43.63 €37.86
-37.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.49
$1.51 €1.31
31.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K £28.3K
$27.6K €23.9K
36.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2K £30.1K
$34.2K €29.6K
17.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$323 £242
$107 €92.4
202.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.22 £12.92
$27.13 €23.54
-36.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.23 £31.67
$36.37 €31.55
16.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.03 £34.52
$66.1 €57.4
-30.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.67 £11.75
$24.05 €20.86
-34.84%
Cinema Ticket
$13.48 £10.11
$10.72 €9.30
25.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,713 £1,285
$558 €484
207.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.8K £15.6K
$11.2K €9,726
85.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.3 £68.4
$101 €87.5
-9.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.88 £33.65
$46.83 €40.63
-4.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £76.5
$101 €87.7
0.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 £78.0
$114 €98.7
-8.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,417 £1,062
$1,131 €981
25.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,132 £849
$930 €807
21.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 £1,731
$1,878 €1,629
22.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,839 £1,379
$1,506 €1,306
22.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,727 £4,295
$4,540 €3,939
26.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,523 £3,392
$3,427 €2,974
31.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,333 £2,499
$1,825 €1,584
82.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
4.73
21.56%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: May 30, 2026

Last update for Malta: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,265 in United Kingdom, $1,123 in Malta. Capital cities: $3,019 in London vs $1,255 in Valletta.

National salary averages: $3,219 in United Kingdom, $1,843 in Malta. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 13% higher in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 1450% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 75% 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 $2,270 per month in Malta and $2,785 in United Kingdom, there's a 23% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – 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 – 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

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