At What Cost?

Malta is a bargain, especially when you consider the lifestyle you’re getting in exchange, and when you compare costs to the rest of Europe. Eating out, groceries, entertainment, and real estate all come in considerably cheaper than nearly all other EU member states.

And Gozo, its sister island, is a steal compared to Malta… so you can imagine how affordable life can get if you’re making an effort to cut costs.

Everything from groceries to utilities, eating out to transport is inexpensive here and will likely cost you less than it does back home, no matter where you settle on the island chain…

The average meal for two at a high-end restaurant will cost under 80 euros—under 40 on Gozo. Grocery shopping, especially at bargain chains like Lidl, is usually under 50 euros a trip.

Malta’s minimum wage is surprisingly low, at just 762 euros a month, under 5 euros an hour, which means that household and other forms of help can be hired relatively inexpensively. It also means that you can be sure that it’s easy to live here on less than 1,000 euros a month.

On top of all that, Malta’s tax situation offers serious incentives to the foreign retiree, meaning you could save money by living here…

Go here to check itemized budgets for our favorite destinations in Malta.