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 $2,271 per month in Valletta vs $1,634 in San Pawl Il-bahar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,598 per month in Valletta vs $2,609 in San Pawl Il-bahar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,925 per month in Valletta vs $3,584 in San Pawl Il-bahar, rent included.

Valletta costs about 39% more than San Pawl Il-bahar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Valletta and San Pawl Il-bahar sit above the global median – Valletta by 68%, San Pawl Il-bahar by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.88 €20.32

$19.69 €17.49

16.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.3 €80.2

$84.7 €75.2

6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.42 €11.92

$11.15 €9.90

20.36%

Cappuccino

$3.29 €2.93

$2.59 €2.30

27.03%

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

$2.37 €2.11

$2.45 €2.18

-3.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.81

$2.11 €1.87

-3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 €5.16

$4.47 €3.97

29.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 €5.97

$5.26 €4.68

27.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.22

$1.40 €1.25

-1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 €1.26

$1.20 €1.06

18.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 €3.20

$4.02 €3.57

-10.45%

Eggs

$4.50 €4.00

$3.68 €3.27

22.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 €9.28

$8.24 €7.32

26.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.97 €10.63

$7.90 €7.02

51.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.60 €16.52

$9.37 €8.33

98.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 €3.33

$3.14 €2.79

19.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 €2.49

$2.11 €1.88

32.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 €3.45

$2.94 €2.61

31.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 €3.30

$2.79 €2.48

32.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.75

$1.62 €1.44

21.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 €2.98

$1.82 €1.61

84.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 €2.07

$1.23 €1.09

89.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.41

$1.27 €1.13

25.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 €5.57

$6.26 €5.56

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 €5.46

$8.11 €7.20

-24.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.15

$1.54 €1.37

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.16

$1.96 €1.74

23.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.55

$2.78 €2.47

3.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 €3.60

$5.79 €5.14

-30.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 €1.66

$2.21 €1.96

-15.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.04 €29.35

$27.04 €24.02

22.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.33

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

$28.6K €25.4K

$38.5K €34.2K

-25.57%

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

$40.3K €35.8K

$39.9K €35.4K

1.06%

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

$159 €141

$59.9 €53.2

165.08%

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

$31.93 €28.36

$20.99 €18.65

52.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.27 €26.00

$41.27 €36.66

-29.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 €53.8

$52.0 €46.21

16.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.69 €18.38

$13.78 €12.24

50.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 €10.35

$9.93 €8.82

17.32%

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

$286 €254

$369 €328

-22.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K €11.0K

$11.3K €10.1K

9.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.4 €66.1

$22.41 €19.91

232.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 €55.6

$34.26 €30.43

82.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 €101

$98.9 €87.9

14.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €120

$74.7 €66.4

80.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 €1,287

$983 €873

47.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 €1,019

$790 €702

45.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,321 €2,950

$1,641 €1,457

102.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 €1,839

$1,410 €1,252

46.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,308 €4,715

$3,559 €3,161

49.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,088 €3,632

$2,942 €2,613

38.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,028 €1,801

$1,681 €1,493

20.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.05

2.9

39.66%

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

Last update for Valletta: September 28, 2026

Last update for San Pawl Il-bahar: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,449 in Valletta versus $983 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 21% 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 $90.0 in Valletta versus $85.0 in San Pawl Il-bahar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $260 – making San Pawl Il-bahar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,406 per month in Valletta and $2,451 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 $90.0 in Valletta and $85.0 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 34% 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 $1,634, than in Valletta at $2,271. 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.