Cost of Living Comparison Between Lija and Sliema Cost of Living Comparison Between Lija and Sliema

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,011 per month in Lija vs $2,187 in Sliema, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,033 per month in Lija vs $3,413 in Sliema, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,055 per month in Lija vs $4,638 in Sliema, rent included.

Lija is about 8% cheaper than Sliema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lija and Sliema sit above the global median – Lija by 50%, Sliema by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.64 €17.77

$21.22 €18.27

-2.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$95.5 €82.2

-28.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 €9.82

$11.79 €10.15

-3.31%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.87 €2.47

-3.14%

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

$2.58 €2.22

$2.99 €2.58

-13.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.23 €1.92

-10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 €4.04

$4.58 €3.94

2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 €4.30

$4.64 €4.00

7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.40 €1.20

-2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.23 €1.06

23.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 €3.06

$4.17 €3.59

-14.87%

Eggs

$3.79 €3.26

$4.48 €3.86

-15.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 €8.56

$10.27 €8.84

-3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 €9.17

$9.13 €7.86

16.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.79 €11.88

$18.94 €16.31

-27.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$4.46 €3.84

-25.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.69

$3.13 €2.70

-37.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 €2.37

$3.21 €2.76

-14.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 €2.84

$3.65 €3.15

-9.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.48 €2.14

-27.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$1.36 €1.17

107.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.44 €2.11

-22.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.25 €1.08

2.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 €5.71

$6.34 €5.46

4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.21 €5.35

$8.49 €7.31

-26.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.92 €1.65

23.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.35 €2.02

-22.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.93 €2.52

-7.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 €7.14

$5.66 €4.87

46.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 €1.70

$4.13 €3.55

-52.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.63 €29.82

$49.29 €42.44

-29.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.57 €1.35

-0.64%

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

$25.6K €22.1K

$38.3K €32.9K

-32.99%

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

$41.2K €35.4K

$38.1K €32.9K

7.91%

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

$170 €146

$93.9 €80.8

81.23%

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

$29.54 €25.44

$28.53 €24.56

3.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.80 €28.25

$45.78 €39.42

-28.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 €54.4

$67.9 €58.5

-6.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.97 €19.78

$23.05 €19.85

-0.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 €12.93

$10.37 €8.93

44.74%

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

$257 €221

$782 €673

-67.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K €10.8K

$11.1K €9,558

12.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.8

$91.4 €78.7

14.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.26 €32.95

$38.23 €32.92

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 €125

$101 €87.3

42.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 €86.8

$102 €88.2

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 €980

$1,419 €1,222

-19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 €811

$1,122 €966

-16.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 €1,706

$2,453 €2,112

-19.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 €1,303

$1,943 €1,673

-22.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 €3,529

$5,563 €4,790

-26.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,861 €2,463

$3,693 €3,180

-22.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,913 €1,647

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

5.08

6.89%

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

Last update for Lija: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,138 in Lija versus $1,419 in Sliema. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Lija versus $96.0 in Sliema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $333 – making Lija the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lija vs Sliema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,011 in Lija, $2,187 in Sliema – roughly 9% apart. Sliema costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,016 per month in Lija and $3,280 in Sliema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lija, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,011 in Lija and $2,187 in Sliema. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $257 per month in Lija and $782 in Sliema. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lija, where all-in costs run around $2,011, than in Sliema at $2,187. In Lija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sliema it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sliema has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,011 in Lija to $2,187 in Sliema. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lija. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sliema makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.