Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsaxlokk and Sliema

For one person, living is cheaper in Marsaxlokk: $1,977 a month against $2,396 in Sliema, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Marsaxlokk
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,977
/mo nomad
Sliema
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,396
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Marsaxlokk and in Sliema

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Marsaxlokk and in Sliema actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,977 in Marsaxlokk versus $2,396 in Sliema.

  • Marsaxlokk $1,977
  • Sliema $2,396

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,954 in Marsaxlokk versus $3,794 in Sliema.

  • Marsaxlokk $2,954
  • Sliema $3,794

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,930 in Marsaxlokk versus $5,191 in Sliema.

  • Marsaxlokk $3,930
  • Sliema $5,191

Living in Marsaxlokk costs roughly 17% less than in Sliema, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Marsaxlokk 46% above, Sliema 77% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.90 €17.70
$19.81 €17.63
0.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.5 €77.0
$85.6 €76.2
1.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.55 €12.05
$13.24 €11.77
2.34%
Cappuccino
$2.72 €2.42
$2.77 €2.47
-1.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 €2.72
$3.02 €2.69
1.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.16 €1.92
1.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.45 €3.96
$4.60 €4.09
-3.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.26 €4.68
$5.24 €4.66
0.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.35 €1.20
0.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.37 €1.22
-0.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.26 €3.79
$4.24 €3.77
0.47%
Eggs
$4.35 €3.87
$4.30 €3.82
1.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.98 €7.10
$8.27 €7.35
-3.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.54 €9.38
$10.25 €9.12
2.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.00 €16.01
$18.21 €16.20
-1.15%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 €3.60
$4.24 €3.77
-4.48%
Banana (1kg)
$2.82 €2.51
$2.81 €2.50
0.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.63 €3.23
$3.52 €3.13
3.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.44 €3.06
$3.32 €2.95
3.61%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 €2.17
$2.42 €2.16
0.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$2.05 €1.82
-3.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.34 €2.08
-2.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 €1.18
$1.30 €1.16
2.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.82 €6.07
$6.83 €6.08
-0.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.00 €7.12
$8.09 €7.19
-1.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.68 €1.50
2.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.40 €2.14
-2.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.09 €1.86
$2.17 €1.93
-3.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$133 €118
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.73 €5.09
$5.64 €5.02
1.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.24 €2.00
$2.20 €1.96
1.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.37 €23.46
$27.09 €24.10
-2.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.54 €1.37
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K €33.6K
$37.9K €33.7K
-0.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K €34.1K
$39.6K €35.2K
-3.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 €92.6
$103 €91.9
0.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.79 €22.94
$25.61 €22.78
0.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.59 €38.78
$42.84 €38.10
1.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.4 €61.8
$76.4 €68.0
-9.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.86 €14.11
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.09 €8.97
$10.20 €9.08
-1.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$368 €327
$366 €326
0.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K €9,835
$11.1K €9,912
-0.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.2 €78.5
$85.5 €76.0
3.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.80 €36.29
$40.84 €36.33
-0.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.1 €87.2
$101 €90.0
-3.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.5 €69.0
$76.7 €68.2
1.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,056 €940
$1,775 €1,579
-40.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$938 €835
$1,220 €1,085
-23.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,937 €1,723
$2,913 €2,591
-33.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,413 €1,257
$2,385 €2,122
-40.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,795 €3,376
$5,353 €4,762
-29.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,478 €2,204
$3,578 €3,183
-30.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Marsaxlokk
Sliema
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,815 €1,614
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
2.9
-

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

Last update for Marsaxlokk: October 10, 2026

Last update for Sliema: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Marsaxlokk
$938
Sliema
$1.2K 30% $281
Groceries & Markets
Marsaxlokk
$327
Sliema
$326 0.1% $0.4
Eating Out
Marsaxlokk
$286
Sliema
$286 0.2% $0.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marsaxlokk
$174
Sliema
$172 1% $1.7
Clothing & Footwear
Marsaxlokk
$137
Sliema
$137 0.1% $0.2
Sport & Entertainment
Marsaxlokk
$90
Sliema
$97 8% $7.2
Getting Around
Marsaxlokk
$25 *
Sliema
$158 526% $133

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,056 in Marsaxlokk and $1,775 in Sliema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $87.0 in Marsaxlokk vs $86.0 in Sliema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $326 per month, with Sliema cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Marsaxlokk
🇲🇹 Sliema
🕒 Local time
17:52 5:52 PM
17:52 5:52 PM
Same time as Marsaxlokk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,500
16,854
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Marsaxlokk Sliema 9 km
From you
  • Marsaxlokk
  • Sliema

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Marsaxlokk vs Sliema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Marsaxlokk or Sliema?
Marsaxlokk wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Sliema. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Marsaxlokk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Marsaxlokk and in Sliema?
You'd need roughly $2,966 in Marsaxlokk and $3,594 in Sliema to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Marsaxlokk compared to Sliema?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,056 in Marsaxlokk versus $1,775 in Sliema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Marsaxlokk or in Sliema?
Shoppers in Sliema pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Marsaxlokk compared to Sliema?
All in, you'll spend $1,977 per month in Marsaxlokk versus $2,396 in Sliema – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Marsaxlokk or in Sliema?
At $1,977 in Marsaxlokk versus $2,396 in Sliema, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marsaxlokk but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Marsaxlokk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Marsaxlokk or Sliema?
Both work as nomad bases, but Marsaxlokk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,977 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Marsaxlokk hard to pass up.
How safe is Marsaxlokk compared to Sliema?
Safety-wise, Marsaxlokk 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Marsaxlokk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Marsaxlokk vs other spots: cost of living compared

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