Food inflation is rarely noticed in one dramatic moment. Instead, it appears in the essentials most households buy every week, such as bread, milk, pasta, fresh vegetables, and meat, where even small increases gradually reshape monthly spending. Over time, these changes have a cumulative effect on household budgets.
Recent official data confirms that food prices in Malta have continued to rise, making food one of the most significant contributors to overall inflation. For both expats and long-term residents, understanding these trends is essential for realistic budgeting as the country moves into 2026.
What the Official Data Says
According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), Malta’s overall inflation rate eased to 2.6% in November 2025, while food prices continued to rise faster than the overall average, contributing the most to inflation. Figures published by the NSO show that food remained one of the main contributors to inflation throughout 2025, with Retail Price Index publications consistently identifying food-related categories, including groceries, restaurant services and take-away meals, as exerting sustained upward pressure on prices.
Category-level data indicates food inflation of around 3.4% year-on-year, helping explain the ongoing pressure felt by households.
How Food Inflation Translates into Everyday Essentials
To put official food inflation into context, the table below shows how NSO food categories moved over the course of 2025. These figures reflect category-level inflation, not prices from individual supermarkets or specific products.
| Food category (NSO classification) | Approx. annual change in 2025 | What this reflects in everyday terms |
| Bread & cereals | Up 3-4% | Pasta, bread, rice and flour products gradually cost more |
| Milk, cheese & eggs | Up ~3% | Dairy staples increased steadily over the year |
| Meat (including chicken & pork) | Up ~4%+ | Meat prices rose faster than overall inflation |
| Oils & fats | Up ~3% | Cooking oils and butter saw moderate increases |
| Food overall | Up 3.4% |
While individual product prices vary by retailer and promotions, these official figures help explain why everyday food shopping has become more expensive over time.
Food Costs and Household Pressure
For many households, food has become one of the most worrying components of monthly spending. Since 2022, families have had to absorb rising costs across multiple areas at the same time — including food, rent, and loan repayments.
Households renting property often face limited flexibility when fixed expenses increase, while those servicing home loans have had to adjust to higher interest-rate environments in recent years. In this context, food costs are one of the few remaining areas where families attempt to manage and adjust spending, making even gradual price increases particularly noticeable.
While the Maltese Government has introduced support measures and additional income assistance aimed at lower-income households, many families continue to experience financial strain. For a growing number of residents, budgeting has become a month-to-month exercise, focused on covering essentials rather than long-term planning.
What Trend Is Expected for Food Prices in 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, food prices in Malta are expected to remain elevated, even if the pace of increases slows. While inflation has eased compared to earlier peaks, official data suggests that food continues to exert structural pressure on household budgets.
Malta’s reliance on imported food, combined with cost adjustments across the food supply chain, means that a return to pre-2022 food price levels is unlikely. Instead, 2026 is expected to be characterised by greater price stability at a higher baseline, rather than significant reductions.
A Note on Household Budgets
For many residents, the change is not noticed in one single purchase, but in the overall total at the checkout. A weekly shop that once stayed within a familiar range now often creeps higher, even when buying the same staples. Over time, this gradual shift has made food spending one of the most closely monitored parts of the household budget.
While sharp increases are not expected in 2026, food expenses are likely to remain elevated, making careful budgeting increasingly important for both expats and local residents.
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