Looking for cheaper rent? Buġibba, Marsaskala, Birzebbuga, best options

Tenants looking for lower rents may find more affordable options in the region covering Buġibba, Qawra, St Paul’s Bay and Mellieħa, according to KPMG’s latest property market report.

The wider area, which also includes Rabat and other localities, recorded the lowest median asking rent for one-bedroom apartments in the study’s 2026 sample: €1,000 a month.

That compares with €1,350 in the region covering Valletta, Floriana and the Three Cities – a difference of €4,200 a year.

The figures are regional medians, however, and do not establish whether an apartment in Buġibba is cheaper than one in Mellieħa.

The Construction Industry and Property Market Report 2026, commissioned by the Malta Development Association and Property Malta, also identifies relatively lower asking rents for two-bedroom apartments across the region containing Buġibba and Mellieħa.

The median stood at €1,200 monthly, matching the region covering Marsaskala, Birżebbuġa, Fgura, Żabbar and other southern localities.

By comparison, two-bedroom apartments in the region encompassing Sliema, St Julian’s, Gżira, Msida and Swieqi carried a median asking rent of €1,500 to €3,600 more annually.

For tenants needing three bedrooms, the region covering Marsaskala, Birżebbuġa, Fgura and Żabbar was the cheapest, with a median of €1,300 a month.

The corresponding figure was €1,400 across the region containing Buġibba and Mellieħa, rising to €1,950 in the region covering Sliema, St Julian’s and neighbouring localities.

The annual comparison also reveals different trends across the island.

Across all apartment sizes combined, the median asking rent in the region containing Buġibba and Mellieħa fell from €1,350 in 2025 to €1,300 in 2026, approximately 3.7%.

In the region covering Sliema, St Julian’s and surrounding localities, it rose from €1,400 to €1,600, approximately 14.3%.

The region containing Marsaskala and Birżebbuġa remained the cheapest overall at €1,250, despite an increase from €1,200.

Yet relatively cheaper accommodation still comes at a substantial monthly cost.

Across KPMG’s apartment rental sample, 74% of listings asked more than €1,200 in 2026, compared with 60% the previous year. None were recorded below €800.

These are advertised rents, rather than payments under existing leases, and the sample does not capture every available property. Changes in the apartments sampled can also influence annual comparisons.

Gozo was excluded from the detailed regional comparison because there were insufficient observations.