Cost of Living Comparison Between Valletta and Mellieha Cost of Living Comparison Between Valletta and Mellieha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,374 in Valletta versus $1,984 in Mellieha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,703 in Valletta versus $2,906 in Mellieha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,033 in Valletta versus $3,828 in Mellieha.

Living in Valletta is roughly 20% more expensive than in Mellieha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Valletta 74% above, Mellieha 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.14 €20.16

$17.53 €15.28

32.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 €80.0

$65.3 €56.9

40.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.14 €12.32

$11.17 €9.73

26.59%

Cappuccino

$3.21 €2.80

$2.76 €2.40

16.30%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.42 €2.11

2.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.98

$3.96 €3.45

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 €6.02

$7.09 €6.18

-2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.22

$1.37 €1.19

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.37 €1.19

9.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 €3.11

Eggs

$4.61 €4.02

$4.53 €3.95

1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 €9.41

$10.77 €9.39

0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.18 €10.61

$10.33 €9.00

17.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.46 €16.08

$18.51 €16.12

-0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 €3.39

$3.93 €3.42

-1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$2.79 €2.43

-1.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 €3.52

$4.09 €3.57

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 €3.29

$3.92 €3.42

-3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.99 €1.74

-0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 €2.96

$3.51 €3.06

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.70 €1.48

39.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.15 €1.00

39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.36 €5.54

$6.63 €5.77

-4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 €5.43

$6.31 €5.50

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 €2.23

$2.49 €2.17

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 €2.13

$2.43 €2.12

0.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.48

$2.94 €2.56

-3.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 €3.54

$3.93 €3.43

3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 €1.60

$1.82 €1.59

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.45 €29.14

$33.14 €28.88

0.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.53 €1.33

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

$28.8K €25.1K

$28.3K €24.7K

1.88%

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

$40.2K €35.0K

$40.0K €34.9K

0.48%

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

$157 €137

$110 €95.8

43.04%

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

$32.50 €28.31

$31.93 €27.82

1.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 €25.95

$30.89 €26.92

-3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 €53.0

$63.4 €55.3

-3.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.11 €18.39

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 €10.38

$8.91 €7.77

33.78%

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

$292 €254

$283 €246

3.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K €11.2K

$12.5K €10.9K

2.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 €66.4

$74.1 €64.5

2.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 €56.2

$40.05 €34.89

60.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €100

$85.4 €74.4

34.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €115

$75.9 €66.1

74.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 €1,273

$1,168 €1,018

25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 €984

$978 €852

15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,343 €2,912

$1,861 €1,621

79.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 €1,846

$1,570 €1,367

35.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,451 €4,749

$4,015 €3,498

35.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,086 €3,560

$2,929 €2,551

39.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,086 €1,817

$1,395 €1,215

49.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.05

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

Last update for Valletta: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mellieha: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,462 in Valletta and $1,168 in Mellieha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valletta pays 50% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $92.0 in Valletta vs $65.0 in Mellieha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $335 per month, with Mellieha cheaper across the board.

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

Valletta vs Mellieha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mellieha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Valletta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,462 in Valletta versus $1,168 in Mellieha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $292 in Valletta versus $283 in Mellieha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mellieha – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $92.0 in Valletta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,984 in Mellieha versus $2,374 in Valletta, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mellieha but tight or insufficient in Valletta. The gap between the two cities makes Mellieha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mellieha is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Valletta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Valletta and Mellieha are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mellieha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Valletta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.