Cost of Living Comparison Between Birgu and Sliema Cost of Living Comparison Between Birgu and Sliema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,751 in Birgu versus $2,187 in Sliema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,900 in Birgu versus $3,413 in Sliema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,049 in Birgu versus $4,638 in Sliema.

Living in Birgu costs roughly 20% less than in Sliema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Birgu 31% above, Sliema 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.68 €17.79

$21.22 €18.25

-2.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 €81.5

$95.5 €82.2

-0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.10

$11.79 €10.14

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$2.90 €2.50

$2.87 €2.47

1.05%

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

$2.37 €2.04

$2.99 €2.57

-20.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.23 €1.92

-19.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 €3.91

$4.58 €3.94

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.92

$4.64 €3.99

-1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.23 €1.06

4.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 €3.75

$4.17 €3.59

4.32%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.53

$4.48 €3.85

-8.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 €8.75

$10.27 €8.83

-0.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 €7.64

$9.13 €7.85

-2.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 €12.09

$18.94 €16.29

-25.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 €2.42

$4.46 €3.83

-37.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 €1.06

$3.13 €2.69

-60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 €2.47

$3.21 €2.76

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$3.65 €3.14

-21.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.48 €2.13

-7.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.36 €1.17

-4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 €2.07

$2.44 €2.10

-1.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$1.25 €1.08

-28.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 €5.51

$6.34 €5.45

0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 €7.43

$8.49 €7.30

1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.92 €1.65

-14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.35 €2.02

-4.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 €2.40

$2.93 €2.52

-4.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.49 €12.46

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 €5.00

$5.66 €4.87

2.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 €0.87

$4.13 €3.55

-75.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.92 €42.08

$49.29 €42.40

-0.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.57 €1.35

-2.55%

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

$27.2K €23.4K

$38.3K €32.9K

-29.02%

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

$33.7K €29.0K

$38.1K €32.8K

-11.68%

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

$94.5 €81.3

$93.9 €80.8

0.62%

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

$28.32 €24.36

$28.53 €24.54

-0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.43 €29.62

$45.78 €39.38

-24.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.00 €39.57

$67.9 €58.5

-32.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.58 €20.28

$23.05 €19.83

2.30%

Cinema Ticket

$10.40 €8.95

$10.37 €8.92

0.29%

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

$424 €365

$782 €672

-45.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,049 €1,763

$11.1K €9,548

-81.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.91 €22.28

$91.4 €78.6

-71.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 €29.40

$38.23 €32.88

-10.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$101 €87.2

0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €88.4

$102 €88.1

0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 €895

$1,419 €1,221

-26.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$824 €709

$1,122 €965

-26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,689 €3,173

$2,453 €2,110

50.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 €1,356

$1,943 €1,672

-18.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,136 €3,558

$5,563 €4,785

-25.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,905 €2,499

$3,693 €3,177

-21.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,979 €1,703

$1,913 €1,646

3.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

5.08

-12.80%

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

Last update for Birgu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,040 in Birgu and $1,419 in Sliema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Birgu pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Birgu vs $96.0 in Sliema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $333 per month, with Birgu 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

Birgu vs Sliema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Birgu wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Sliema. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Birgu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Birgu pays 3% 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: $1,040 in Birgu versus $1,419 in Sliema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Sliema. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,751 per month in Birgu versus $2,187 in Sliema – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,751 in Birgu versus $2,187 in Sliema, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Birgu but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Birgu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Birgu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,751 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Birgu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Birgu 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 Birgu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.