Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mgarr and Sliema

For one person, living is cheaper in Mgarr: $2,090 a month against $2,396 in Sliema, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mgarr
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,090
/mo nomad
Sliema
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,396
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mgarr 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 Mgarr and in Sliema actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,090 in Mgarr versus $2,396 in Sliema.

  • Mgarr $2,090
  • Sliema $2,396

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Mgarr versus $3,794 in Sliema.

  • Mgarr $3,175
  • Sliema $3,794

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,260 in Mgarr versus $5,191 in Sliema.

  • Mgarr $4,260
  • Sliema $5,191

Living in Mgarr costs roughly 13% less than in Sliema, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mgarr 55% above, Sliema 77% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.19 €19.74
$19.81 €17.63
12.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.8 €79.0
$85.6 €76.2
3.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.23 €11.77
$13.24 €11.77
-0.08%
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.84
$2.77 €2.47
15.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 €2.06
$3.02 €2.69
-23.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 €1.78
$2.16 €1.92
-7.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.49 €4.89
$4.60 €4.09
19.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.72 €5.97
$5.24 €4.66
28.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$1.35 €1.20
-2.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 €1.25
$1.37 €1.22
2.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.40 €3.02
$4.24 €3.77
-19.81%
Eggs
$4.48 €3.98
$4.30 €3.82
4.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.27 €9.14
$8.27 €7.35
24.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.74 €10.44
$10.25 €9.12
14.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.26 €16.24
$18.21 €16.20
0.27%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 €3.25
$4.24 €3.77
-13.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.72 €2.42
$2.81 €2.50
-3.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.79 €3.37
$3.52 €3.13
7.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.83 €3.41
$3.32 €2.95
15.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.42 €2.16
-23.14%
Onion (1kg)
$3.34 €2.97
$2.05 €1.82
62.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.34 €2.08
-7.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 €1.39
$1.30 €1.16
20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.13 €5.45
$6.83 €6.08
-10.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.07 €5.40
$8.09 €7.19
-24.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.23
$1.68 €1.50
49.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 €2.11
$2.40 €2.14
-1.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.47 €2.20
$2.17 €1.93
13.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$133 €118
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.43
$5.64 €5.02
-31.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 €1.56
$2.20 €1.96
-20.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.05 €28.51
$27.09 €24.10
18.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.30
$1.54 €1.37
-4.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K €24.4K
$37.9K €33.7K
-27.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K €35.3K
$39.6K €35.2K
0.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$154 €137
$103 €91.9
48.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.46 €27.98
$25.61 €22.78
22.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.71 €26.43
$42.84 €38.10
-30.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.9 €60.4
$76.4 €68.0
-11.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.86 €14.11
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.38 €10.13
$10.20 €9.08
11.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$281 €250
$366 €326
-23.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K €10.9K
$11.1K €9,912
9.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.3 €50.1
$85.5 €76.0
-34.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.2 €61.5
$40.84 €36.33
69.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 €101
$101 €90.0
12.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €116
$76.7 €68.2
70.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 €1,002
$1,775 €1,579
-36.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$941 €837
$1,220 €1,085
-22.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,785 €1,588
$2,913 €2,591
-38.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,525 €1,357
$2,385 €2,122
-36.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,469 €3,975
$5,353 €4,762
-16.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,453 €2,182
$3,578 €3,183
-31.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mgarr
Sliema
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,815 €1,614
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.05
2.9
39.66%

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

Last update for Mgarr: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sliema: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mgarr
$941
Sliema
$1.2K 29.6% $279
Groceries & Markets
Mgarr
$341
Sliema
$326 4.2% $14
Eating Out
Mgarr
$314
Sliema
$286 8.9% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mgarr
$215
Sliema
$172 20.1% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Mgarr
$167
Sliema
$137 17.8% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Mgarr
$91
Sliema
$97 6.7% $6.1
Getting Around
Mgarr
$23 *
Sliema
$158 604% $136

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 $1,126 in Mgarr and $1,775 in Sliema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89.0 in Mgarr vs $86.0 in Sliema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $326 per month, with Sliema cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Mgarr
🇲🇹 Sliema
🕒 Local time
16:47 4:47 PM
16:47 4:47 PM
Same time as Mgarr
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,600
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
  • Mgarr Sliema 12 km
From you
  • Mgarr
  • 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
Mgarr vs Sliema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mgarr or Sliema?
Mgarr wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Sliema. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mgarr the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mgarr and in Sliema?
You'd need roughly $3,136 in Mgarr 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 Mgarr compared to Sliema?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,126 in Mgarr versus $1,775 in Sliema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Mgarr and in Sliema?
Childcare runs $281 in Mgarr versus $366 in Sliema. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Mgarr and in Sliema?
Dining out is cheaper in Mgarr – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $86.0 in Sliema. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Mgarr or in Sliema?
At $2,090 in Mgarr versus $2,396 in Sliema, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mgarr but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Mgarr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mgarr or Sliema?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mgarr delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,090 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mgarr hard to pass up.
How safe is Mgarr compared to Sliema?
Safety-wise, Mgarr 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 Mgarr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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