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 $1,958 in Malta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in United Kingdom versus $2,960 in Malta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,576 in United Kingdom versus $3,961 in Malta.

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

Both countries sit above the global median: United Kingdom 77% above, Malta 47% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,687 to $3,955, compared to $1,578$2,994 in Malta. City choice carries more weight in United Kingdom.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.08 £15.08
$17.07 €15.01
17.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.3 £66.3
$80.1 €70.5
10.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.37 £7.79
$11.35 €9.98
-8.63%
Cappuccino
$4.66 £3.50
$2.87 €2.52
62.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 £1.80
$2.47 €2.17
-2.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 £1.32
$1.61 €1.41
9.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.84 £5.14
$3.93 €3.46
74.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.32 £4.74
$4.37 €3.84
44.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 £1.28
$1.35 €1.18
25.93%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 £1.23
$1.35 €1.18
21.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 £1.71
$3.69 €3.24
-38.21%
Eggs
$4.06 £3.05
$3.71 €3.26
9.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.47 £7.11
$10.48 €9.21
-9.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.16 £6.88
$9.61 €8.44
-4.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.20 £10.66
$16.59 €14.58
-14.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.91 £2.19
$3.07 €2.70
-5.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 £1.27
$2.16 €1.90
-21.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.92 £2.19
$2.80 €2.47
4.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 £2.56
$3.33 €2.92
2.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.63 £1.23
$2.00 €1.75
-18.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 £1.18
$2.11 €1.86
-25.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 £0.88
$1.87 €1.64
-37.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 £1.15
$0.94 €0.82
62.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.06 £15.06
$6.60 €5.81
203.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.91 £8.19
$8.25 €7.25
32.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 £2.08
$1.77 €1.56
56.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 £2.57
$2.33 €2.05
46.78%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.20 £2.40
$2.27 €1.99
40.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.6 £70.3
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 £4.05
$5.81 €5.10
-7.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 £1.14
$2.06 €1.81
-26.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.01 £20.28
$44.20 €38.85
-38.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.94 £1.45
$1.51 €1.33
28.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K £28.9K
$28.0K €24.6K
37.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.8K £30.6K
$34.1K €30.0K
19.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$318 £239
$107 €93.7
198.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.16 £12.88
$27.89 €24.52
-38.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.30 £31.76
$36.62 €32.19
15.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.78 £34.37
$67.2 €59.1
-31.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.01 £12.02
$24.31 €21.37
-34.14%
Cinema Ticket
$13.65 £10.25
$10.79 €9.49
26.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,724 £1,294
$559 €491
208.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.8K £15.6K
$11.0K €9,665
88.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.6 £68.0
$101 €88.4
-9.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.98 £33.02
$46.21 €40.63
-4.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 £75.1
$99.2 €87.2
0.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 £78.5
$113 €99.0
-7.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,389 £1,043
$1,150 €1,011
20.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,137 £854
$960 €844
18.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,371 £1,780
$1,881 €1,654
26.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,856 £1,393
$1,508 €1,326
23.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,569 £4,181
$4,327 €3,804
28.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,499 £3,378
$3,294 €2,896
36.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,329 £2,499
$1,818 €1,598
83.14%
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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Malta: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,268 in United Kingdom, $1,125 in Malta. Capital cities: $3,049 in London vs $1,268 in Valletta.

National salary averages: $3,198 in United Kingdom, $1,781 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 1433% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 80% higher in United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United Kingdom.

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 $2,286 per month in Malta and $2,821 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Malta: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 compared to United Kingdom?
In Malta, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in 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 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.

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