business
Malta's Low Earners's Purchasing Power for Food Decreased the Most in the Entire EU
A Euronews Business comparison of 26 European countries found that Malta's minimum-wage earners have lost more food purchasing power over the past five years than workers anywhere else in the EU.
Minimum-wage workers in Malta can afford roughly 6 per cent less food today than they could five years ago, placing the country at the bottom of the 26-nation comparison. In practical terms, a basket of food that 100 units of monthly gross pay could cover in August 2021 would now require the equivalent of 106.
Malta was one of only three countries in the analysis where food purchasing power fell over the period. Spain recorded a 5 per cent decline and France 4 per cent, whilst countries such as Serbia, Montenegro, and Croatia saw increases exceeding 20 per cent. Ireland and Germany registered improvements of 10 per cent and 9 per cent respectively.
Malta does operate a mandatory Cost of Living Adjustment, which delivers annual wage increases tied to changes in living costs. For 2026, the adjustment stood at €4.66 per week, bringing the national minimum wage for adults to €229.44 per week. A separate Cost of Living Benefit also targets lower-income households, who spend around 30 per cent of their expenditure on food compared to 20 per cent for an average household.
The Euronews analysis compares gross minimum wages against food-price movements only and does not factor in income tax, social benefits, subsidies, or other household costs, meaning it does not capture the full picture of living standards. Nonetheless, its findings suggest that food-price inflation has outpaced minimum-wage growth in Malta over the five-year period.
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