Grocery prices in Malta, and what the island premium covers

Eurostat sets the EU average at 100. For Malta in 2025:

• Overall price level — 95.8. Below the EU average, and seventh of the ten European countries this site covers.
• Food and non-alcoholic beverages — 112.9. The highest of the ten, ahead of Austria (109.5) and France (106.8).

A 17-point gap in that direction is unusual among the countries we cover. Malta's services, priced by Eurostat at 87.1, run below the EU average; it's the goods side of the budget, food especially, that runs high.

Source: Eurostat — Purchasing power parities and price level indices (prc_ppp_ind_1), 2025 values, dataset updated 9 July 2026, read 7 October 2026.

Eurostat's breakdown shows the premium isn't spread evenly. Malta is the dearest of the ten countries we cover overall, and in three categories:

• Oils and fats — 137.7
• Sugar, confectionery and desserts — 135.7
• Soft drinks — 124.1

Close behind: dairy and eggs at 123.5, fruit at 118.4 and alcohol at 124.1, each second-dearest of the ten.

The reassuring part is the protein. Meat at 99.1 and fish and seafood at 98.5 both sit right around the EU average — so the fish counter and the butcher aren't where Malta's grocery bill gets away from you.

A price level index compares the same basket across countries, taxes included. It isn't a measure of household spending, and rent sits outside it.

For a move to Malta, the figures suggest budgeting groceries above an EU-average assumption, while expecting services to cost less than in most of northern Europe. A shopping list weighted towards fresh meat and fish lines up with Malta's average-priced categories; one weighted towards packaged foods, sweets, oils and bottled drinks lines up with its dearest.

International health cover is the line that doesn't move with any of this: it's priced on your age and the cover you choose, not on island prices.