Cost of Living Comparison Between Paola and Sliema Cost of Living Comparison Between Paola and Sliema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,912 in Paola versus $2,175 in Sliema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,842 in Paola versus $3,360 in Sliema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,772 in Paola versus $4,546 in Sliema.

Living in Paola costs roughly 12% less than in Sliema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paola 43% above, Sliema 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 €15.09

$21.02 €18.37

-17.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.89 €40.10

$95.0 €83.0

-51.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 €7.94

$11.48 €10.03

-20.82%

Cappuccino

$1.78 €1.56

$2.90 €2.54

-38.62%

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

$2.27 €1.98

$2.96 €2.58

-23.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.04

$2.27 €1.98

-47.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 €3.47

$4.65 €4.06

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.09

$4.65 €4.07

-23.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.21

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 €1.09

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 €3.76

$4.17 €3.64

3.12%

Eggs

$4.60 €4.02

$4.49 €3.92

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 €9.03

$10.45 €9.13

-1.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.25

$9.44 €8.24

0.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 €12.23

$19.15 €16.73

-26.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 €3.83

$4.30 €3.76

1.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 €2.67

$3.16 €2.76

-3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 €2.96

$3.23 €2.82

4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 €3.22

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.17

$2.51 €2.19

-1.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 €1.18

$1.33 €1.16

1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 €2.06

$2.32 €2.03

1.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.25 €1.09

-3.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.72

$6.61 €5.78

-0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.48 €7.41

$8.37 €7.31

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.85 €1.61

3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.02

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 €2.43

$2.86 €2.50

-2.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 €4.98

$5.90 €5.16

-3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.27 €3.73

$4.22 €3.69

1.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.42 €42.30

$49.09 €42.89

-1.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.58 €1.38

-3.80%

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

$39.1K €34.2K

0.07%

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

$37.7K €33.0K

$38.2K €33.3K

-1.19%

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

$92.4 €80.7

$92.5 €80.8

-0.04%

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

$28.06 €24.52

$27.88 €24.36

0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.11 €40.28

$46.26 €40.42

-0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 €55.4

$68.6 €59.9

-7.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.46 €20.50

$23.26 €20.32

0.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 €9.03

$10.37 €9.06

-0.39%

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

$430 €375

$774 €676

-44.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,646

$11.1K €9,710

-0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 €81.5

$92.1 €80.5

1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 €33.68

$39.27 €34.31

-1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.9

$103 €89.6

-0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 €87.2

$102 €88.8

-1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 €1,003

$1,454 €1,270

-21.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 €818

$1,098 €959

-14.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 €1,719

$2,418 €2,113

-18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 €1,311

$1,993 €1,741

-24.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,397 €2,968

$5,510 €4,814

-38.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,764 €2,415

$3,551 €3,103

-22.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,379 €1,205

$1,886 €1,648

-26.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

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

Last update for Paola: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sliema: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Paola and $1,454 in Sliema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliema pays 37% 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: $46.00 in Paola vs $95.0 in Sliema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $334 per month, with Paola 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

Paola vs Sliema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paola wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Sliema. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Paola the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% 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: $1,148 in Paola versus $1,454 in Sliema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $430 in Paola versus $774 in Sliema. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Paola – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $95.0 in Sliema. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,912 in Paola versus $2,175 in Sliema, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Paola but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Paola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Paola delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,912 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Paola hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Paola 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 Paola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.