Affordable Places to Stay in Malta: 10 Budget Options

8 min read · Published: July 1, 2024 · Updated: October 29, 2026 · Prices and details checked: October 2026

The cheapest beds in Malta are hostel dorms in Sliema and St. Julian’s, guesthouses in Bugibba and Marsaskala, studios in Gzira and Msida, and farmhouse rooms on Gozo. Each of the ten options below is a type of accommodation in a specific area, not a brand, so you can search for it on any booking site or book directly with the owner. For each one we say who it suits and how you get around without a car.

Colourful enclosed wooden balconies on a Maltese townhouse

Key takeaways

Sliema and St. Julian’s have the largest choice of hostels and the best links: the Sliema ferry to Valletta costs 3 euros single and runs every 30 minutes.
Gzira and Msida sit next to Sliema but rent for less, with studios and rooms in shared flats aimed at students and long-stay guests.
Bugibba, Qawra and Mellieħa in the north offer guesthouses and simple hotels near the sea, and the Comino boats leave from nearby Cirkewwa for 15 euros return.
Marsaskala, the Three Cities and Rabat are cheaper because they are residential, and all three reach Valletta by bus for 2 euros a ride in winter.
A Gozo farmhouse is the best value for a week or longer: the ferry takes about 25 minutes and the 4.65 euro ticket covers the return trip.

Table of contents

Which affordable places to stay are closest to the action around Sliema?
Where in the north do guesthouses and simple hotels cost less?
Which quiet places in the south and inland offer the lowest prices?
Is a Gozo farmhouse the best value for a longer stay?
What do transport and extras add to the room rate?
FAQ

Which affordable places to stay are closest to the action around Sliema?

Sliema, St. Julian’s, Gzira and Msida form one built-up strip around Marsamxett Harbour with the widest range of cheap beds. Prices rise towards the Sliema seafront and Paceville and fall as you move inland to Gzira and Msida.

1. Hostel dorm in Sliema. The standard starting point for solo travellers. You are on the main bus corridor to Valletta and the north, and the Sliema ferry to Valletta runs every 30 minutes from 06:45 for 3 euros single or 5 euros return. Most hostels have a shared kitchen, so you can cook instead of eating out every night.

2. Private room in a St. Julian’s hostel. If you want a door you can close but still pay less than a hotel, several hostels in St. Julian’s and Paceville rent private doubles and twins alongside their dorms. This is Malta’s nightlife centre, so it suits travellers who plan to be out late and do not mind noise; Spinola Bay and Balluta Bay are a short walk away for a swim.

3. Studio apartment in Gzira. Gzira is the continuation of Sliema, facing Manoel Island across a creek. Studios here are simpler and cheaper than their Sliema equivalents, yet you walk to the Sliema ferry and bus stops in minutes. For a couple who wants a fridge, a hob and their own bathroom, this is often the best price for the location on the island.

4. Room in a shared flat in Msida. Msida is home to the University of Malta, which means a steady supply of rooms in shared apartments and small studios let by the week or month. It is a working town with a marina, a large bus interchange and no beach, which keeps prices down. Good for long-stay visitors and remote workers.

Where in the north do guesthouses and simple hotels cost less?

The north of Malta was built for package tourism, and that history leaves plenty of family-run guesthouses and two-star hotels that cost less than anything on the Sliema seafront. Buses reach all of these places directly.

Sandy beach of Mellieha Bay in northern Malta — Mellieha Bay in northern Malta

5. Guesthouse in Bugibba or Qawra. Both share a peninsula on St. Paul’s Bay, with rocky swimming spots, a long promenade and a bus terminus with routes to Valletta, Sliema and Cirkewwa. Guesthouses here are small, plainly furnished and run by the owners, which is what keeps them affordable. The Gozo fast ferry also calls at Bugibba and reaches Mgarr in about 30 minutes, so Gozo works as a day trip.

6. Budget hotel in Mellieħa. Mellieħa is a hilltop village above one of Malta’s few long sandy beaches, Għadira Bay. Older hotels and guesthouses up in the village are noticeably cheaper than the resorts on the bay, which you reach by a short bus ride. Mellieħa is also the last village before Cirkewwa, where the Gozo Channel ferry leaves and the Comino boats depart for 15 euros return per adult, about 20 minutes each way.

Maltese townhouse facade with green enclosed wooden balconies

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Flight plus hotel in Sliema, St. Julian's or Gozo for your dates and budget.

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Which quiet places in the south and inland offer the lowest prices?

The cheapest rooms on the main island are usually in residential towns that tourists overlook: Marsaskala in the south east, the Three Cities across the Grand Harbour from Valletta, and Rabat beside Mdina. You eat and shop at local prices.

7. Family-run guesthouse in Marsaskala. A fishing town on a long inlet with a seafront promenade, a handful of guesthouses and apartments, and a mostly Maltese population. Nights are quiet, restaurants serve locals rather than tour groups, and the bus to Valletta costs the normal fare of 2 euros in winter and 2.50 euros in summer. Choose it if you want a calm base and do not mind a longer ride to Sliema.

8. Room in a townhouse in the Three Cities. Birgu, Bormla and Isla face Valletta across the Grand Harbour, and a growing number of owners let rooms or small flats in their stone townhouses. You pay less than in Valletta and get the same harbour views from the other side. The ferry crosses from Cospicua every 30 minutes from 06:30, and a valid ferry ticket gives you free use of the Upper Barrakka lift into the capital, which otherwise costs 1 euro return.

9. Guesthouse in Rabat. Rabat is the ordinary town outside the walls of Mdina, with the guesthouses and bed and breakfasts that Mdina itself lacks. From here you walk into Mdina in a few minutes, visit St. Paul’s Catacombs or the Domvs Romana for 6 euros each, and head on foot into the fields towards Dingli. It suits travellers who prefer history and countryside to beaches.

Is a Gozo farmhouse the best value for a longer stay?

Yes, for anyone staying a week or more as a couple, family or small group. Gozo is quieter and cheaper than the main island, and its converted farmhouses in villages such as Xagħra, Nadur and Għarb are priced per house or per apartment rather than per person.

Stone farmhouse with pool in the Gozo countryside, Malta — Stone farmhouse on Gozo

10. Farmhouse room or apartment on Gozo. A typical Gozo farmhouse is a limestone building with thick walls, a courtyard and often a pool, split into a few apartments or rented whole. Divide the rate between four or six people and the cost per head falls well below a Sliema hostel. The Gozo Channel ferry from Cirkewwa to Mgarr takes about 25 minutes, the 4.65 euro walk-on ticket covers the round trip, and children aged 3 to 12 pay 1.15 euros. Buses on Gozo run less often than on Malta, so plan around the timetable.

What do transport and extras add to the room rate?

Bus fares are the same wherever you stay: a single day-route ticket costs 2 euros in winter and 2.50 euros in summer, is valid for 2 hours with free changes, and night routes cost 3 euros. For a week of moving around, the Explore card gives 7 days of unlimited day and night travel for 25 euros per adult, sold only at the sales offices, and 7 euros for children aged 4 to 10; children under 4 travel free.

At check-out, expect the environmental contribution: 0.50 euros per person and night for guests aged 18 and over, capped at 5 euros per person for a continuous stay, usually collected in cash by the host. Apartments and farmhouses often take a security deposit, and low headline rates sometimes exclude cleaning, linen or air conditioning. Our guide to affordable vacation rentals in Malta covers what to inspect, and for which town fits which budget see where to stay in Malta on a budget.

FAQ

Is it cheaper to stay in Sliema or in Bugibba?

Bugibba is usually cheaper for the same standard of room, because it is further from Valletta and built around older tourist accommodation. Sliema costs more but saves time and bus fares if you plan to visit Valletta often. A Gzira studio is a sensible compromise between the two.

Do hostels in Malta have private rooms?

Most of the larger hostels in Sliema and St. Julian’s offer private doubles, twins and sometimes family rooms as well as dorms. A private hostel room generally costs less than a nearby hotel room and still gives you the shared kitchen. Book early in summer, as these rooms are few and go first.

Is Gozo cheaper than Malta for accommodation?

For stays of a week or more, yes, because farmhouses and village apartments are priced per property and the cost per person drops with a group. For two nights the ferry and slower buses eat into the saving, and a Bugibba or Mellieħa base with a Gozo day trip can work out better.

Do I need a car for the places outside Sliema?

No. Marsaskala, Rabat, Mellieħa, Bugibba and the Three Cities all have regular buses to Valletta, and the Three Cities and Sliema have ferries as well. On Gozo a car is a convenience rather than a necessity, and parking in Sliema and Valletta is difficult enough that we would not hire one for a town base.

Pick the option that matches your trip length and the places you most want to see, then compare a few listings of that type in that area before you book. If you would rather have a furnished apartment in Sliema or St. Julian’s with a known owner, our own holiday apartments in Malta are worth a look.