Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sliema Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sliema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $2,187 in Sliema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $3,413 in Sliema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $4,638 in Sliema.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 8% more expensive than Sliema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Sliema 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$21.22 €18.27

-17.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$95.5 €82.2

-28.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$11.79 €10.15

19.25%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.87 €2.47

-3.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.99 €2.58

-6.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.23 €1.92

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$4.58 €3.94

-2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$4.64 €4.00

-0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.40 €1.20

-11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.23 €1.06

65.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$4.17 €3.59

-53.96%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$4.48 €3.86

-26.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$10.27 €8.84

79.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$9.13 €7.86

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$18.94 €16.31

1.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.46 €3.84

-40.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.13 €2.70

-21.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$3.21 €2.76

-33.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.65 €3.15

-21.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.48 €2.14

-17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.36 €1.17

36.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$2.44 €2.11

-39.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.25 €1.08

-32.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$6.34 €5.46

12.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$8.49 €7.31

-7.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.92 €1.65

-28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.35 €2.02

-1.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.93 €2.52

1.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$5.66 €4.87

-18.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$4.13 €3.55

-49.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$49.29 €42.44

-40.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.57 €1.35

17.20%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.0K €33.6K

$38.3K €32.9K

1.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.7K €28.2K

$38.1K €32.9K

-14.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$188 €162

$93.9 €80.8

100.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.93 €19.75

$28.53 €24.56

-19.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$45.78 €39.42

-19.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$67.9 €58.5

-15.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$23.05 €19.85

-10.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$10.37 €8.93

7.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$721 €621

$782 €673

-7.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$11.1K €9,558

35.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$91.4 €78.7

-5.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$38.23 €32.92

-3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$101 €87.3

0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$102 €88.2

13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$1,419 €1,222

8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$1,122 €966

8.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$2,453 €2,112

9.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$1,943 €1,673

3.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$5,563 €4,790

29.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$3,693 €3,180

40.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$1,913 €1,647

23.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.08

-33.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $1,419 in Sliema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $96.0 in Sliema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $333 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barcelona vs Sliema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Sliema differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $2,187 including rent). Sliema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $1,419 in Sliema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $782 in Sliema. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sliema – a meal for two runs $96.0 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,187 in Sliema versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sliema but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sliema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Sliema are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sliema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.