Cost of Living Comparison Between Valletta and San Pawl Il-bahar Cost of Living Comparison Between Valletta and San Pawl Il-bahar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,241 per month in Valletta vs $1,734 in San Pawl Il-bahar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,380 per month in Valletta vs $2,623 in San Pawl Il-bahar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,519 per month in Valletta vs $3,511 in San Pawl Il-bahar, rent included.

Valletta costs about 29% more than San Pawl Il-bahar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Valletta and San Pawl Il-bahar sit above the global median – Valletta by 67%, San Pawl Il-bahar by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 €17.29

$20.55 €17.69

-2.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 €60.2

$78.5 €67.6

-10.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.77

$10.80 €9.30

5.09%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.26

$2.53 €2.18

3.95%

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

$2.70 €2.33

$3.06 €2.64

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.28 €1.97

-13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.81 €4.14

$4.27 €3.67

12.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 €4.20

$4.48 €3.86

8.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.40 €1.20

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.24 €1.07

23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$2.54 €2.19

38.98%

Eggs

$3.72 €3.20

$3.61 €3.11

3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 €8.41

$9.96 €8.58

-1.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 €9.24

$8.12 €6.99

32.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 €11.89

$9.88 €8.51

39.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 €2.83

$3.04 €2.62

8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.10 €1.81

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.09 €2.66

-10.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$2.97 €2.55

9.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.58 €1.36

16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$1.35 €1.17

119.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.25 €1.08

53.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.23 €1.06

1.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.64

$6.62 €5.70

-1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 €5.40

$8.30 €7.15

-24.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.57 €1.35

45.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.99 €1.71

-10.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$2.93 €2.53

-1.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 €7.13

$5.95 €5.13

39.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.62 €2.26

-28.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 €29.57

$48.29 €41.59

-28.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.52 €1.31

-0.66%

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

$26.5K €22.8K

$39.5K €34.0K

-32.94%

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

$41.7K €35.9K

$38.4K €33.1K

8.69%

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

$166 €143

$67.3 €58.0

147.05%

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

$30.23 €26.03

$20.07 €17.28

50.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.97 €28.39

$43.02 €37.05

-23.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 €51.6

$63.2 €54.5

-5.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.18 €26.85

$22.75 €19.59

37.05%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 €13.07

$10.36 €8.92

46.53%

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

$260 €224

$422 €363

-38.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K €11.1K

$11.1K €9,553

15.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.4

$70.0 €60.3

46.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 €62.3

$28.11 €24.21

157.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 €126

$93.5 €80.5

56.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 €143

$93.4 €80.5

78.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$960 €826

30.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €914

$807 €695

31.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,785 €2,398

$1,532 €1,319

81.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 €1,579

$1,292 €1,112

41.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,622 €4,841

$3,608 €3,106

55.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,105 €3,535

$3,058 €2,633

34.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,169 €1,868

$1,750 €1,507

23.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

3.28

65.55%

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

Last update for Valletta: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Pawl Il-bahar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,255 in Valletta versus $960 in San Pawl Il-bahar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Valletta, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Valletta versus $79.0 in San Pawl Il-bahar. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Valletta vs $262 in San Pawl Il-bahar – so San Pawl Il-bahar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 San Pawl Il-bahar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Valletta is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,361 per month in Valletta and $2,602 in San Pawl Il-bahar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Pawl Il-bahar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Valletta and $79.0 in San Pawl Il-bahar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Valletta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Pawl Il-bahar, where all-in costs run around $1,734, than in Valletta at $2,241. In San Pawl Il-bahar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Valletta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pawl Il-bahar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Pawl Il-bahar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Valletta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.