With ample choice of services that Malta has to offer, this island can suit every pocket
By Denise Rejec
Whether you’re looking to move to Malta or are coming for a holiday, you’re probably wondering how much you’ll need to spend on daily needs like food, accomodation, transportation, as well as leisure.
Malta packs a large number of services within a small area, so you can easily find a wide range of prices to suit every pocket. Read the following to get a good idea of the figures you could be spending in Malta.
SHOPPING FOR FOOD
If you like preparing your own meals or having a well-stocked kitchen, you can shop at the many supermarket chains or even the village mini markets that offer most of the basics. Prices don’t vary much between one store and another. A loaf of daily-baked, typical Maltese bread costs around a Euro regardless of whether you buy it from a baker, mini market or supermarket, and you can get a litre of the local cow milk for €0.88. Half a dozen local eggs are also in the region of a Euro, local cheese an average of €7, €6 to €7 for a kilo of local fresh chicken breast, and around €10 for fresh beef.
Look out for the mobile trucks selling fruit and vegetables, where prices could be slightly cheaper than at the supermarkets. Per kilo, you can expect to pay €1.50 to €3 for local tomatoes and imported or local oranges, €0.70 to €2 for potatoes, €2 to €3 for apples, and €1.40 to €2 for bananas.
DRINKS
A half litre of local beer is in the region of €1.40 if bought from a store, as against €2.50 in a bar or restaurant. Imported beer (0.33 litres) is about €2 in a shop, and €2.80 at a bar. With regard to wine, the price of a bottle in a restaurant can be up to three times as much as that in a store.
EATING OUT
The Maltese are crazy about their food, so you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out in Malta. You can find quick take-away options, which are usually the popular ‘pastizzi’ places selling cheap local snacks for as little as €0.40. Or you might want to indulge in a luscious meal consisting of fish or meat, accompanied by good local wine, in one of the fancier restaurants. If you splash out on such a meal, you could easily spend between €30 to €50 per person (bottle of wine included).
You’ll also find plenty of inexpensive restaurants serving pizza and pasta dishes that will set you back by around €15 per person. Fancy a local plate of rabbit meat? Then head to one of the many restaurants serving typical Maltese fare, most of which are located in the Mgarr area. These eateries are usually more casual and a perfect option for gourmets on a budget.
ACCOMODATION
Prices for rental and property purchase varies according to location, with the most pricey areas being in the central and eastern part of Malta. The rental price per month for a one-bedroom apartment in Malta’s prime locations varies between €600 and €1,000. The same type of flat costs from €450 to €800 in a less sought-after area.
If you’re looking to buy an apartment, you can expect to pay from €1,500 up to €5,500 per square metre in a prime location, as against €1,200 to €3,000 in a less popular area.
UTILITIES
Water and electricity bills range from €50 to €100 a month. If you’re renting an apartment in Malta, you might want to clarify with your landlord whether you’re paying the residential rate (cheapest) or the domestic rate, which is the tariff that applies to secondary residences.
TRANSPORTATION
Apart from your feet, which could come in handy to beat the traffic, you have three main transportation options in Malta: public bus, taxi, or personal vehicle. Let’s say that you’ll be relying on public transport. A one-way ticket costs €1.50, and a regular monthly pass is €26. Otherwise, taxi fees begin at €10 and normally charge roughly €3 per kilometre. If travelling in your own car, you’ll be spending approximately €1.30 per litre of petrol.
How about car hire? Malta’s got fairly competitive car rental deals. We might be stating the obvious, but try to book your car hire as early as possible to get cheaper rates that can be as low as €12 per day, although you can’t really avoid the fixed high-season rates (July and August), which vary between €27 and €32 per day. (Source: https://www.maltauncovered.com/malta-car-hire/)
Happy budgeting, and for more updated prices for specific items, please check out this link.