📋 In this article
The question everyone asks before booking: is Malta expensive? Honest answer: it's mid-range Mediterranean. Not as cheap as inland Spain, but much less brutal than tourist Greece or Italy.
The real variable is what you do there. A beach-and-local-restaurants trip can come in at €600. A week with a catamaran, boat party, jet ski and decent restaurants easily hits €1,200. Here's the full breakdown.
📊 Quick summary — Daily budget
| Profile | Daily budget | Week total |
|---|---|---|
| 🎒 Backpacker (hostel, local food) | €60–80 | ~€500 |
| 🌴 Comfort (3★ hotel, decent restaurants) | €100–130 | ~€800 |
| 🎉 Active (activities + nightlife) | €150–180 | ~€1,100 |
| ✨ Premium (4★ hotel, restaurants, boat, nights out) | €200–250 | ~€1,500 |
These estimates exclude flights from your home country (budget €80–200 return from most European cities).
🏨 Accommodation — 2026 prices
- Hostel dorm: €20–30 per night (Sliema, Valletta)
- Airbnb studio: €40–70/night, cheaper midweek
- 3-star hotel: €60–100/night in July–August
- 4-star hotel (sea view): €120–200/night in high season
💡 Best value: Sliema offers better value than St Julian's while being just 15 minutes' walk or one bus stop from Paceville. Msida and Gzira are even cheaper and very well located.
🍽️ Food & drinks
- Pastizzi (local snack): €0.30–0.50 — Malta's best value food full stop
- Local restaurant (full meal): €10–15
- Tourist restaurant (seafront): €20–35
- Supermarket picnic: €4–8 for a full meal
- Beer in a bar: €3–5
- Cocktail in a club: €8–12
🚌 Getting around
- Public bus: €2 per trip (covers the whole of Malta)
- Taxi / Bolt: €8–15 depending on distance
- Scooter rental: €25–40/day
- Car rental: €30–60/day (book early in summer)
- Malta–Gozo ferry: ~€4.65/person return
🏄 Activities & excursions — 2026 prices
| Activity | Price/person |
|---|---|
| Blue Lagoon ferry 4pm–8pm | €35 |
| Spirit of Malta catamaran | €89 |
| Jet ski 20 min | €55 |
| Jet ski 30 min | €75 |
| Gozo Quad Tour — solo | €115 |
| Gozo Quad Tour — duo | €195 |
| Boat Party (Lazy Pirate) | €69 |
| Paddleboard or Kayak | from €10 |
💬 We help you plan within your budget
Tell us what you want to do and how much you want to spend — we'll optimise
🎉 Nightlife budget
- Club entry (Toy Room, Gianpula): €15–30
- Themed night with ticket: €20–40
- Boat Party Lazy Pirate: €69 (unlimited drinks included)
- Pool party Café del Mar: €55
- Artist showcase: €25
- Paceville Pub Crawl: €20 (shots included)
💡 Nightlife budget tip: the Boat Party at €69 with unlimited drinks is often the best value if you're planning a big night — you easily save on bar tabs.
🏴☠️ Boat Party — Unlimited drinks included
€69/person · Open bar · Onboard DJ · Malta's best value night out
📋 Sample budgets (7 nights)
🎒 Backpacker — ~€600
- Hostel 7 nights: €180
- Meals (local + supermarket): €150
- Bus transport: €30
- Blue Lagoon 4pm ferry: €35
- Pub Crawl: €20
- Misc: €100
🌴 Comfort + Activities — ~€1,000
- 3★ hotel 7 nights: €420
- Meals: €250
- Transport: €50
- Catamaran Blue Lagoon: €89
- Gozo Quad (duo): €97
- Gianpula night + drinks: €50
- Misc: €50
🎉 Active Holiday — ~€1,300
- 3★ hotel 7 nights: €420
- Meals: €280
- Spirit of Malta catamaran: €89
- Jet ski 30 min: €75
- Gozo Quad (duo): €97
- Boat Party: €69
- 2 club nights: €80
- Transport + misc: €100
❓ FAQ — Malta Budget
How much does a week in Malta cost?
Budget between €600 and €1,300 per person for a week in Malta (flights not included). A backpacker trip runs around €500–600. A comfort trip with 3-star hotel and activities (Blue Lagoon, boat party, jet ski) reaches €1,000–1,300.
Is Malta expensive compared to other Mediterranean destinations?
Malta sits in the middle range — cheaper than Italy or tourist Greece, but more expensive than inland Spain or Morocco. Water activities and nightlife can push the bill up quickly.
What are the best ways to save money in Malta?
Stay in Sliema rather than St Julian's (15–20% cheaper), eat pastizzi and local food in Valletta rather than seafront tourist restaurants, use the public bus (€2/trip), and book activities in advance to avoid last-minute prices.