cost of living

[Playbyte]

Thank you all for the information it certainly help us.

We are planning on moving to Malta after March 2016 when pension funds are released.

In the meantime we continue to do what we do best is to do our research and make sure that when we make the move it will be the right one.

We would like to try to see how living in Malta compares with regards to the following on a monthly basis. If the item doesn't have a direct or indirect comparison the please say and if there are any items specific to Malta that are not in the UK please add them at the bottom of the list.

Item Malta Gozo Alternative N/A Remarks
Electricity
Water
Community Tax
Dustbin/Waste collection
House Insurance
Contents Insurance
Health Insurance
Mobile Phone
Broadband Internet
Scooter Insurance
Any other must do's

If these have already been laid out elsewhere please point me to the correct topic

gozomark = perhaps these results could be made into a table for others to use when considering moving to Malta.

Thank you in advance to all who participate in this.

Roger

[gozomark]

I've split this from your other thread as its more suitable in this section. Overall, Malta can cost 25% less than the UK to live in, but it really depends on what you buy - some spend more than the UK, others far less


electricity and water - per unit, comparable to UK, but only if on right tariff (see Q&A for details)
no community tax
rubbish collection 4-6 times a week, depending on town

[gozomark]

House Insurance
Contents Insurance
Health Insurance
Mobile Phone
Broadband Internet
Scooter Insurance

all these depend on the cover or package you go for, but overall same or cheaper than the UK

[Playbyte]

We have booked Thanks again gozomark every bit of information helps with the decision process.

Another step taken today in our journey as we have booked the month of April to visit Malta again to look at as many places as possible for an area that we might like to live in.

Roger

[gozomark]

something I've learnt from living in different countries - don't worry about the price of each item - of course for the first few months, even years, you will compare the price to "back home", but in the end its the overall cost of living that counts, not whether the cost of a loaf of bread is more or less in Malta than Sainsbury's. Assume at first you will spend the same as in the UK, and once you get into the habit of buying whats suited to Malta, you will probably find you actually spend less.

[Bianca]

My husband and I plan on moving to Malta in December 2013. Our budget is 2500 euros/month for the two of us. We are wondering if this would be enough. We plan to live in central Malta for the first 6 months, possibly moving in Gozo if we like it (we haven't been there yet).
Our monthly planned expenses for the 6 months would be as follows:
- 550 rent for a 3 bedroom apartment. If we can't get on in Attard than maybe Birkirkara.
- 200 electricity + water (we will work from home therefore need our computers on until 5, latest 6 pm)
- 100 propane bottles (we also cook a lot, we don't eat out at all due to our very unique diet)
- 30 cleaner (currently we pay £36 for 4 hours cleaning a month and it's sufficient for us)
- 600 charity (this budget we are not willing to change as we believe strongly in giving to churches, people in Africa etc)
- 10 travel (we plan to walk a lot and hopefully living near stores. We will live car free. Currently we spent 0 on travel)
- 20 beauty stuff (my husband's haircut and every 4 months to relax my hair)
- 10 clothes (we are minimalist and rarely buy clothes, we will make our own as much as possible)
- 20 sim cards to call abroad and in Malta (currently we spent around £15 month for that)
- 10 banking
- 82 life insurance (we have a British one that we intend to keep)
- 150 health insurance for both of us
- 33 lenses for 1 person
- 32 internet
- 400 food (we eat gluten free stuff, dairy free, sugar free etc thus might mean that we need a higher budget)
- 20 other items needed
- 15 household
- 23 medical
- 60 send money to another account abroad

We usually prefer to take salary as much as we need and the rest we save. We decide how much salary we need so we are wondering if 2500 euros would be enough for us. We don't drink alcohol or go to pubs since we can't eat the food served in restaurants. We make our own gifts and when we socialize we mainly do it at our home or at their home.
If we want to buy extra clothes or so we usually only do it twice a year so it's not in the budget but used to spend about £50 for the both of us.
We won't need a TV licence or home phone since we don't have one here either. We watch free on-line.

I'd appreciate some input in this. If I forgot to add something could you please let me know.

[gozomark]

gas - you will use 1, at most 2 bottles a month for cooking, so max € 35 a month
electricity/water - is probably too high - probably more like 100-150 a month (as long as on lower tariff)
TV licence - there isn't one

big saving would be renting in Gozo - 3 bed apartment € 250-500 pm

[Bianca]

Thank you so much for the reply. Is it possible to live in Gozo without a car?
Is there any protestant church in Gozo at all?
What about shops, is there some variety for eating gluten/soy/dairy/sugar free?
I have read somewhere that you get your goats cheese from a farmer. Can you find those kind of products in a shop?
Since we like a city with many food stores, would Victoria be the only one you would recommend?
We are in our mid 30's, is there anything to do in Gozo? Parks, museums and such? We're not big beach fans.
Why is Gozo better than Malta? Is it for its friendliness, green spaces and cheaper rent or is it more to it than that? Please forgive my ignorance, I haven't been in Gozo before.

[gozomark]

Is it possible to live in Gozo without a car? - yes, esp now have excellent bus service

Is there any protestant church in Gozo at all? - pass

What about shops, is there some variety for eating gluten/soy/dairy/sugar free? - will be almost same selection as Malta

I have read somewhere that you get your goats cheese from a farmer. Can you find those kind of products in a shop? - yes

Since we like a city with many food stores, would Victoria be the only one you would recommend? - Victoria is a large village But yes has the best selection of food stores - also consider Ghajnsielem as close to ferry, good shops, and only 10 mins on the bus to Victoria with very frequent service


We are in our mid 30's, is there anything to do in Gozo? Parks, museums and such? We're not big beach fans. - I'm never bored, and I've here in my 30's (just)

Why is Gozo better than Malta? Is it for its friendliness, green spaces and cheaper rent or is it more to it than that? - that covers a lot of it

[gozomark]

I've moved all the posts about tax and bank accounts into the following thread, as they weren't about cost of living

http://britishexpat.com/expatforum/malt ... hp?t=24483