Cost of Living Comparison Between Luqa and Sliema Cost of Living Comparison Between Luqa and Sliema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Luqa versus $2,175 in Sliema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,871 in Luqa versus $3,360 in Sliema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,906 in Luqa versus $4,546 in Sliema.

Living in Luqa costs roughly 16% less than in Sliema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Luqa 37% above, Sliema 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 €18.07

$21.02 €18.39

-1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 €83.4

$95.0 €83.2

0.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 €10.11

$11.48 €10.05

0.70%

Cappuccino

$2.99 €2.62

$2.90 €2.54

3.10%

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

$3.02 €2.65

$2.96 €2.59

2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.95

$2.27 €1.99

-1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 €4.11

$4.65 €4.07

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €4.02

$4.65 €4.07

-1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.07

$1.38 €1.21

-11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.24 €1.09

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 €3.08

$4.17 €3.64

-15.35%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.63

$4.49 €3.92

-7.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 €9.17

$10.45 €9.14

0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 €8.21

$9.44 €8.26

-0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 €12.33

$19.15 €16.76

-26.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 €2.56

$4.30 €3.76

-32.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 €1.79

$3.16 €2.76

-35.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.81

$3.23 €2.83

-0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 €3.32

$3.69 €3.23

2.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.55

$2.51 €2.20

-29.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.33 €1.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.32 €2.03

2.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.25 €1.09

-20.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 €5.75

$6.61 €5.78

-0.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 €7.24

$8.37 €7.32

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.85 €1.61

-14.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.04

$2.31 €2.02

0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 €2.43

$2.86 €2.50

-2.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.22 €13.31

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 €4.94

$5.90 €5.16

-4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 €3.60

$4.22 €3.70

-2.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.93 €43.68

$49.09 €42.95

1.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.58 €1.39

-3.80%

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

$25.7K €22.5K

$39.1K €34.2K

-34.32%

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

$38.5K €33.7K

$38.2K €33.4K

0.90%

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

$94.0 €82.2

$92.5 €80.9

1.68%

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

$28.67 €25.08

$27.88 €24.40

2.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.54 €30.22

$46.26 €40.47

-25.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €48.54

$68.6 €60.0

-19.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.27 €20.35

$23.26 €20.35

0.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 €9.23

$10.37 €9.07

1.74%

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

$425 €372

$774 €677

-45.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,728

$11.1K €9,724

0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 €80.2

$92.1 €80.6

-0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 €33.97

$39.27 €34.36

-1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €74.7

$103 €89.7

-16.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 €87.1

$102 €88.9

-2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 €716

$1,454 €1,272

-43.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$837 €732

$1,098 €961

-23.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 €1,203

$2,418 €2,115

-43.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 €1,176

$1,993 €1,743

-32.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,930 €3,438

$5,510 €4,821

-28.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,509 €2,195

$3,551 €3,107

-29.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,489 €1,303

$1,886 €1,650

-21.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.08

-11.42%

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

Last update for Luqa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sliema: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $818 in Luqa and $1,454 in Sliema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliema pays 27% 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: $95.0 in Luqa vs $95.0 in Sliema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $334 per month, with Luqa 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

Luqa vs Sliema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Luqa wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Sliema. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Luqa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Sliema. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $818 in Luqa versus $1,454 in Sliema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Sliema. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,835 per month in Luqa versus $2,175 in Sliema – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,835 in Luqa versus $2,175 in Sliema, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Luqa but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Luqa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Luqa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,835 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Luqa hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Luqa 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 Luqa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.