I knew next to nothing about Malta before I actually went. I knew it was an island in the Mediterranean, between North Africa and Italy. I knew Euros was the official currency. But besides that, I basically didn’t know anything about the country before I went. How much would my trip to Malta for five days cost me? I was hoping it would be affordable, and I was not disappointed! Malta is a great location if you’re a budget traveler and are looking for some sunshine—especially as it’s not quite as popular as other warm-weather destinations like Italy or Spain.

As always, I like to provide real information on how much my trips cost me, so I kept track of all of my expenses for the trip. Everything from pastry snacks, bus tickets, beers, and meals: I wrote it all down to be able to do this kind of post! Here is how much money I spent in Malta during my 5-day trip.

Day 1:

Bus from airport: €3 // £2.60 // $3.40

Return ferry Sliema to Valletta: €2.80 // £2.40 // $3.15

Food (including cocktail and tip): €19.50 // £16.85 // $22

Water (12 liters for two people): €1.25 // £1.10 // $1.40

 

TOTAL: €26.55 // £22.95 // $30

Day 2:

Donuts: €2.10 // £1.80 // $2.35

Bus ticket: €1.50 // £1.30 // $1.70

Qassatat: €1 // £0.85 // $1.15

Cinnabon: €3.50 // £3 // $4

Beer: €5 // £4.30 // $5.65

Pizza: €1.25 // £1.10 // $1.40

Beer: €3 // £2.60 // $3.40

 

TOTAL: €17.35 // £15 // $19.60

Day 3:

Donuts: €2.05 // £1.75 // $2.30

Bus ticket: €1.50 // £1.30 // $1.70

Qassatat: €1 // £0.85 // $1.15

Mdina Cathedral: €3.50 // £3 // $4

St. Paul’s Catacombs: €3.50 // £3 // $4

Bus ticket: €1.50 // £1.30 // $1.70

St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta: €10 // £8.50 // $11.50

Souvenirs: €3.20 // £2.75 // $3.60

Ferry: €1.50 // £1.30 // $1.70

Ice cream: €3.50 // £3 // $4

Dinner and tip: €21 // £18.15 // $23.75

 

TOTAL: €52.25 // £45.20 // $59.05

Day 4:

Bus ticket: €1.50 // £1.30 // $1.70

Popeye Village: €9.90 // £8.55 // $11.20

Bus ticket: €1.50 // £1.30 // $1.70

Pastizzi: €0.70 // £0.60 // $0.80

Snacks/drinks: €2.85 // £2.45 // $3.20

Bus ticket: €1.50 // £1.30 // $1.70

Sandwich + beer: €6.50 // £5.65 // $7.35

Beer: €3.75 // £3.25 // $4.25

Beer: €4.25 // £3.70 // $4.80

 

TOTAL: €32.45 // £28.10 // $36. 70

Day 5:

Bus to airport: €3 // £2.60 // $3.40

Airport food: €6 // £5.20 // $6.80

Meal deal at airport: £5 // $6.55

 

TOTAL: £12.50 // $16.75

What about my major expenses—flights and accommodation? How much did they cost?

Return flights from Manchester to Malta: £83 // $108.45

Accommodation (4 nights in 5-bed dorm): €59.40 // £51.40 // $67.15

Return train tickets from York to Manchester Airport: £27.30 // $35.65

Interested in a breakdown by category? Here’s how much I spent on accommodation, transportation, food/drink, sightseeing, and miscellaneous costs!

Accommodation: €59.40 // £51.40 // $67.15

Transportation: €146.85 // £127 // $166.05

Food/Drink: €94 // £81.30 // $106.30

Sightseeing: €26.90 // £23.25 // $30.40

Miscellaneous: €3.20 // £2.75 // $3.60

The Takeaway

Malta definitely can be expensive—my meals out at nice restaurants were definitely where I splurged! But if you eat delicious Maltese pastries and find quieter, more local bars, you can save a lot of money. Public transportation isn’t expensive, and you can get around without hiring a car (you just need to be strategic and really, really patient). A lot of attractions are reasonably priced too, with the cathedral in Malta being my most expensive sightseeing expense at €10.

I also chose to stay in Sliema, as opposed to Valletta (the capital). Accommodation was quite a bit cheaper this way, but I don’t feel like I missed out on anything! I actually felt like I got to see more of the real Malta this way, as where I stayed in Sliema was very residential and the architecture of the houses was beautiful. It felt a lot more local, and I also got to visit some really fun, small bars! I almost always stay in hostels, and really liked my stay at Granny’s Inn Hostel. I didn’t mind staying in a dorm room for just a few nights, and the location was literally perfect.

We ended up booking tickets to go to Malta because the flights were really cheap (I had my heart set on Rome. Hopefully next year!). Our Easyjet flights included a normal carry-on, which is a rarity with European budget airlines these days (looking  at you, Ryanair). We also booked our trains to the airport in advance, with Trainline.

Since our flight was departing at 6:10am, we also made the sacrifice of sleeping in the airport the night before (as opposed to staying at an airport hotel). It just didn’t make sense when the airport hotels around Manchester are fairly pricey, and I like to be at the airport excessively early (I would have wanted to get there for roughly 4:00am). While it was a pretty miserable night and unlike Adam, who has that precious gift of being able to sleep anywhere and everywhere, I didn’t sleep at all until I got on the plane. Then I passed out for most of the 3-hour flight, and woke up actually feeling fairly refreshed! This also meant we saved quite a lot of money—although I wouldn’t necessarily sacrifice myself up for a night in the airport again.

So how much did my entire trip actually cost altogether? How much did I actually spend on my 5 days in Malta?

 

GRAND TOTAL: €330.35 // £285.70 // $373.50

Malta is definitely a budget-friendly location in Western Europe, where prices are normally high. I hope this helps in planning and budgeting a trip to Malta!

Have you been to Malta before? What was your budget like?

If you liked this, check out my other posts:

All the Doors of Malta

Visiting Malta By Public Transportation: Tips and Tricks For Getting Around

The Budget Travel Bible: 101 Tips For Cheap Travel

How Much Does It Cost To Travel Poland For 5 Days?

How Much Does It Cost To Travel Iceland For 3 Days?

How Much Does It Cost To Travel The Baltics For 5 Days?

How Much Does It Cost To Spend 4 Days In Belgium?

How Much Does It Cost To Spend A Weekend In Dublin?

How Much Does It Cost To Travel Eastern Europe For 6 Weeks?

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