Cost of Living Comparison Between Valletta and Zabbar Cost of Living Comparison Between Valletta and Zabbar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,241 in Valletta versus $1,818 in Zabbar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,380 in Valletta versus $2,841 in Zabbar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,519 in Valletta versus $3,864 in Zabbar.

Living in Valletta is roughly 23% more expensive than Zabbar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Valletta 67% above, Zabbar 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 €17.29

$17.26 €14.86

16.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 €60.2

$40.06 €34.50

74.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.77

$8.02 €6.91

41.52%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.26

$3.03 €2.61

-13.20%

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

$2.70 €2.33

$2.35 €2.02

14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.72 €0.62

173.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.81 €4.14

$2.29 €1.97

110.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 €4.20

$4.52 €3.89

7.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.19 €1.03

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.07 €0.92

42.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$1.18 €1.01

199.15%

Eggs

$3.72 €3.20

$4.29 €3.69

-13.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 €8.41

$5.85 €5.04

67.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 €9.24

$4.54 €3.91

136.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 €11.89

$10.22 €8.80

35.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 €2.83

$4.44 €3.82

-25.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$3.19 €2.74

-35.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.33 €2.86

-16.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$3.77 €3.24

-13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.47 €2.13

-25.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$1.33 €1.15

122.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.32 €2.00

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.15 €0.99

8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.64

$6.45 €5.56

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 €5.40

$8.36 €7.20

-24.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.86 €1.60

23.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$2.30 €1.98

-22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$2.28 €1.96

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.58 €13.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 €7.13

$5.70 €4.91

45.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 €1.61

$4.23 €3.64

-55.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 €29.57

$35.26 €30.36

-2.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.59 €1.37

-5.03%

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

$26.5K €22.8K

$38.9K €33.5K

-31.82%

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

$41.7K €35.9K

$37.8K €32.5K

10.41%

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

$166 €143

$92.0 €79.2

80.82%

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

$30.23 €26.03

$28.75 €24.75

5.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.97 €28.39

$34.40 €29.62

-4.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 €51.6

$63.1 €54.3

-5.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.18 €26.85

$23.42 €20.17

33.13%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 €13.07

$10.44 €8.99

45.40%

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

$260 €224

$425 €366

-38.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K €11.1K

$2,280 €1,963

464.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.4

$90.8 €78.2

12.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 €62.3

$37.96 €32.69

90.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 €126

$105 €90.0

40.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 €143

$102 €88.0

62.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,243 €1,070

1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €914

$868 €748

22.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,785 €2,398

$2,414 €2,079

15.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 €1,579

$1,729 €1,489

6.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,622 €4,841

$4,105 €3,535

36.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,105 €3,535

$4,305 €3,707

-4.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,169 €1,868

$1,186 €1,021

82.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

5.08

6.89%

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

Last update for Valletta: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zabbar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,255 in Valletta and $1,243 in Zabbar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valletta pays 83% 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: $70.0 in Valletta vs $40.00 in Zabbar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $253 per month, with Zabbar 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 Zabbar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zabbar wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Valletta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zabbar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Valletta pays 83% more on average, 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: $1,255 in Valletta versus $1,243 in Zabbar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Valletta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,241 per month in Valletta versus $1,818 in Zabbar – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,818 in Zabbar versus $2,241 in Valletta, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Zabbar but tight or insufficient in Valletta. The gap between the two cities makes Zabbar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zabbar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,818 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zabbar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Valletta and Zabbar 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 Zabbar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Valletta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.