Real estate · Malta

Real estate in Birkirkara: homes and areas

Malta's second-largest town: an old parish town in the middle of the island, grown into a busy commercial centre next to the university, the main hospital and the country's biggest business district.

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Living in Birkirkara

Birkirkara lies in the centre of Malta's main island, inland from the harbours, and is the second-largest locality in the country after St Paul's Bay. It grew from an old parish town around the Basilica of St Helen into a densely built residential and commercial centre, with shops along its main roads. On its edge lies Mrieħel, Malta's Central Business District, where many of the country's largest office buildings and company headquarters stand.

Most residents are Maltese, but the international community is sizeable: NSO figures for the end of 2025 show about one resident in three with a foreign citizenship, close to the share for Malta as a whole. Many people work in the offices of Mrieħel, at Mater Dei Hospital or the University of Malta just across the border in Msida, or in the harbour towns a short bus ride away.

Malta has no railway; the old Malta Railway, which stopped in Birkirkara, closed in 1931. Daily life runs on buses and cars. Malta Public Transport buses link Birkirkara with Valletta, Sliema, the university and hospital and the airport, and are free for residents with a personalised tallinja card. The main roads through and around the town, such as the Birkirkara bypass, are known for heavy traffic at rush hour.

At the 2021 census most households lived in flats and maisonettes, and about a fifth in terraced houses, many of them in the older streets around the parish churches. As elsewhere in Malta, older houses are regularly replaced by apartment blocks. Birkirkara has no Special Designated Area for residential property, so the standard rules for foreign buyers apply everywhere in town.

Population
30,166 (2025)

Source: NSO Malta, World Population Day: 11 July 2026 (NR 120/2026), Table 11: total population by broad citizenship, district and locality as at 31 December 2025 (Birkirkara)

Neighbourhoods

Old core and Ħas-Sajjied
The historic centre around St Helen's Basilica, which has Malta's largest church bell, and the old parish church of St Mary. Narrow streets with older terraced houses, shops and small squares.
Fleur-de-Lys
A suburb on the border with Santa Venera, named after the Wignacourt Arch, the gateway of the 17th-century aqueduct, which was rebuilt and reopened in 2016. It has its own parish church, small shops and a busy main road.
Swatar
A hilltop area shared with Msida, across the road from the University of Malta and Mater Dei Hospital. Mostly post-war and modern housing, popular with University of Malta students.
Mrieħel
Malta's Central Business District and an industrial estate, on the Birkirkara side towards Qormi and Santa Venera. Mainly offices, bank and company headquarters and factories rather than homes.

Practical information

  • Airport: Malta International Airport, at Luqa in the south of the island, is reached by bus route 214, which runs through Birkirkara, or by car or taxi.
  • Getting around: Malta Public Transport buses are free for residents with a personalised tallinja card. Mater Dei Hospital and the University of Malta are next door in Msida.
  • Schools: St Aloysius' College, a Jesuit school with primary, secondary and sixth-form sections, is in Birkirkara, alongside state primary and secondary schools.
  • Healthcare: the Birkirkara Health Centre on Triq Tumas Fenech offers GP and nursing services by day; at night and on Sundays residents go to the Mosta Health Centre. Mater Dei, the main public hospital, is close by.

Frequently asked questions

How many people live in Birkirkara?

At the end of 2025 Birkirkara had 30,166 residents, according to Malta's National Statistics Office (NSO). Only St Paul's Bay has more.

Is Birkirkara a good base for working at the university, Mater Dei or in Mrieħel?

Yes, that is one of its main draws. Swatar sits across the road from the University of Malta and Mater Dei Hospital, and the Mrieħel business district is on the edge of town, so many residents can get to work without crossing the island.

Can foreigners buy property in Birkirkara?

EU citizens who have lived in Malta for five years can buy freely, and EU citizens buying their main home do not need a permit either. Other buyers, including non-EU citizens, need an AIP permit, because Birkirkara has no Special Designated Area for homes.

Do I need a car in Birkirkara?

Not necessarily. Buses connect Birkirkara with most of Malta and are free for residents with a personalised tallinja card, and the town centre has shops and services within walking distance. Traffic on the main roads is heavy at peak times.

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