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: $3,474 in United Kingdom versus $2,952 in Malta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in United Kingdom versus $3,945 in Malta.

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

Both countries sit above the global median: United Kingdom 75% above, Malta 45% above.

Internal 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
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.53 ยฃ15.21
$17.26 โ‚ฌ14.69
18.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.0 ยฃ65.2
$81.2 โ‚ฌ69.1
8.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.00 ยฃ7.41
$11.62 โ‚ฌ9.89
-13.94%
Cappuccino
$4.59 ยฃ3.40
$2.77 โ‚ฌ2.35
65.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 ยฃ1.85
$2.42 โ‚ฌ2.06
2.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ยฃ1.24
$1.66 โ‚ฌ1.42
1.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.76 ยฃ5.01
$4.01 โ‚ฌ3.41
68.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26 ยฃ4.64
$4.60 โ‚ฌ3.91
36.09%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ยฃ1.22
$1.33 โ‚ฌ1.13
23.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 ยฃ1.28
$1.28 โ‚ฌ1.09
35.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 ยฃ1.61
$3.62 โ‚ฌ3.08
-39.78%
Eggs
$4.06 ยฃ3.01
$3.88 โ‚ฌ3.30
4.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.49 ยฃ7.03
$10.46 โ‚ฌ8.90
-9.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.81 ยฃ6.53
$9.61 โ‚ฌ8.18
-8.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.17 ยฃ10.50
$16.63 โ‚ฌ14.15
-14.79%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 ยฃ2.24
$3.12 โ‚ฌ2.66
-3.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 ยฃ1.19
$2.08 โ‚ฌ1.77
-23.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 ยฃ2.14
$2.81 โ‚ฌ2.39
2.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 ยฃ2.53
$3.28 โ‚ฌ2.79
4.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.64 ยฃ1.21
$1.95 โ‚ฌ1.66
-15.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 ยฃ1.14
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.78
-26.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.11 ยฃ0.82
$1.87 โ‚ฌ1.59
-40.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 ยฃ1.13
$0.96 โ‚ฌ0.82
58.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.02 ยฃ14.83
$6.91 โ‚ฌ5.88
189.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.73 ยฃ7.95
$8.29 โ‚ฌ7.05
29.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.87 ยฃ2.12
$1.76 โ‚ฌ1.50
63.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 ยฃ2.42
$2.42 โ‚ฌ2.06
35.12%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.23 ยฃ2.40
$2.37 โ‚ฌ2.01
36.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.8 ยฃ71.0
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.55 ยฃ4.11
$5.96 โ‚ฌ5.07
-6.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ยฃ1.17
$2.13 โ‚ฌ1.81
-26.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.67 ยฃ19.76
$43.36 โ‚ฌ36.90
-38.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 ยฃ1.46
$1.53 โ‚ฌ1.31
28.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.1K ยฃ28.2K
$27.9K โ‚ฌ23.7K
36.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3K ยฃ30.6K
$34.1K โ‚ฌ29.0K
21.04%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$326 ยฃ242
$108 โ‚ฌ91.5
203.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.49 ยฃ12.96
$28.04 โ‚ฌ23.86
-37.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.23 ยฃ32.03
$36.45 โ‚ฌ31.02
18.60%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.40 ยฃ34.39
$65.7 โ‚ฌ55.9
-29.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.14 ยฃ11.96
$24.80 โ‚ฌ21.11
-34.92%
Cinema Ticket
$13.45 ยฃ9.96
$10.56 โ‚ฌ8.99
27.37%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,734 ยฃ1,285
$546 โ‚ฌ464
217.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K ยฃ15.9K
$11.3K โ‚ฌ9,612
90.02%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.1 ยฃ68.2
$101 โ‚ฌ86.0
-8.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.35 ยฃ32.87
$46.77 โ‚ฌ39.80
-5.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ยฃ74.8
$100 โ‚ฌ85.3
0.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 ยฃ77.6
$111 โ‚ฌ94.1
-5.29%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ยฃ1,052
$1,128 โ‚ฌ960
25.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,154 ยฃ855
$953 โ‚ฌ811
21.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,304 ยฃ1,707
$1,896 โ‚ฌ1,613
21.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,865 ยฃ1,382
$1,465 โ‚ฌ1,247
27.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,885 ยฃ4,361
$4,604 โ‚ฌ3,918
27.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,601 ยฃ3,409
$3,447 โ‚ฌ2,933
33.47%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Malta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,290 ยฃ2,438
$1,906 โ‚ฌ1,622
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

National rent averages: $1,267 in United Kingdom, $1,123 in Malta. Capital cities: $2,993 in London vs $1,265 in Valletta.

National 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

Rent is 13% higher in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 1450% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries 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

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