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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $2,175 in Sliema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $3,360 in Sliema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $4,546 in Sliema.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 7% more expensive than in Sliema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Sliema 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.43

$21.02 €18.37

-15.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.9

$95.0 €83.0

-26.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.37

$11.48 €10.03

23.34%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.90 €2.54

-3.45%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.96 €2.58

-5.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.27 €1.98

-9.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$4.65 €4.06

-1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$4.65 €4.07

0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.07

$1.38 €1.21

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.24 €1.09

63.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.17 €3.64

-52.52%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$4.49 €3.92

-22.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.01

$10.45 €9.13

75.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.59

$9.44 €8.24

4.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.71

$19.15 €16.73

-0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$4.30 €3.76

-36.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$3.16 €2.76

-24.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$3.23 €2.82

-35.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.69 €3.22

-25.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.51 €2.19

-21.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.33 €1.16

34.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.32 €2.03

-36.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.25 €1.09

-27.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.23

$6.61 €5.78

7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.88

$8.37 €7.31

-5.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.85 €1.61

-25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.31 €2.02

3.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$2.86 €2.50

5.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.65

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.81

$5.90 €5.16

-26.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$4.22 €3.69

-49.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.86

$49.09 €42.89

-39.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.58 €1.38

15.19%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$39.1K €34.2K

-3.11%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$38.2K €33.3K

-15.17%

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

$189 €165

$92.5 €80.8

104.47%

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

$22.29 €19.48

$27.88 €24.36

-20.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.47

$46.26 €40.42

-19.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.7

$68.6 €59.9

-15.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.05

$23.26 €20.32

-11.18%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.50

$10.37 €9.06

4.82%

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

$706 €617

$774 €676

-8.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$11.1K €9,710

33.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.2

$92.1 €80.5

-2.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €31.98

$39.27 €34.31

-6.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.9

$103 €89.6

1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$102 €88.8

17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,379

$1,454 €1,270

8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,082

$1,098 €959

12.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,370

$2,418 €2,113

12.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,782

$1,993 €1,741

2.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,576

$5,510 €4,814

36.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,577

$3,551 €3,103

47.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,065

$1,886 €1,648

25.32%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sliema: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $1,454 in Sliema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 25% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $95.0 in Sliema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $334 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 7% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $2,175 including rent). Sliema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $1,454 in Sliema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $774 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 $95.0 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,175 in Sliema versus $2,320 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 7% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.