Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pawl Il-bahar and Sliema Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pawl Il-bahar and Sliema

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,734 per month in San Pawl Il-bahar vs $2,187 in Sliema, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,623 per month in San Pawl Il-bahar vs $3,413 in Sliema, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,511 per month in San Pawl Il-bahar vs $4,638 in Sliema, rent included.

San Pawl Il-bahar is about 21% cheaper than Sliema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Pawl Il-bahar and Sliema sit above the global median – San Pawl Il-bahar by 29%, Sliema by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.55 €17.69

$21.22 €18.27

-3.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 €67.6

$95.5 €82.2

-17.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 €9.30

$11.79 €10.15

-8.40%

Cappuccino

$2.53 €2.18

$2.87 €2.47

-11.85%

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

$3.06 €2.64

$2.99 €2.58

2.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.23 €1.92

2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.27 €3.67

$4.58 €3.94

-6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 €3.86

$4.64 €4.00

-3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.23 €1.06

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$4.17 €3.59

-39.09%

Eggs

$3.61 €3.11

$4.48 €3.86

-19.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 €8.58

$10.27 €8.84

-3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 €6.99

$9.13 €7.86

-11.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.88 €8.51

$18.94 €16.31

-47.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.62

$4.46 €3.84

-31.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$3.13 €2.70

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 €2.66

$3.21 €2.76

-3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 €2.55

$3.65 €3.15

-18.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$2.48 €2.14

-36.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.36 €1.17

-0.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.08

$2.44 €2.11

-48.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.25 €1.08

-1.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 €5.70

$6.34 €5.46

4.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 €7.15

$8.49 €7.31

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.92 €1.65

-18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.35 €2.02

-15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.53

$2.93 €2.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 €5.13

$5.66 €4.87

5.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 €2.26

$4.13 €3.55

-36.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.29 €41.59

$49.29 €42.44

-2.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.57 €1.35

-3.18%

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

$39.5K €34.0K

$38.3K €32.9K

3.25%

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

$38.4K €33.1K

$38.1K €32.9K

0.63%

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

$67.3 €58.0

$93.9 €80.8

-28.27%

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

$20.07 €17.28

$28.53 €24.56

-29.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.02 €37.05

$45.78 €39.42

-6.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 €54.5

$67.9 €58.5

-6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.75 €19.59

$23.05 €19.85

-1.30%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 €8.92

$10.37 €8.93

-0.10%

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

$422 €363

$782 €673

-46.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,553

$11.1K €9,558

-0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 €60.3

$91.4 €78.7

-23.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.11 €24.21

$38.23 €32.92

-26.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 €80.5

$101 €87.3

-7.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 €80.5

$102 €88.2

-8.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 €826

$1,419 €1,222

-32.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 €695

$1,122 €966

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 €1,319

$2,453 €2,112

-37.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 €1,112

$1,943 €1,673

-33.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,608 €3,106

$5,563 €4,790

-35.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,058 €2,633

$3,693 €3,180

-17.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,750 €1,507

$1,913 €1,647

-8.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

5.08

-35.43%

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

Last update for San Pawl Il-bahar: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $960 in San Pawl Il-bahar 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.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Sliema, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in San Pawl Il-bahar versus $96.0 in Sliema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $333 – making San Pawl Il-bahar 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

San Pawl Il-bahar vs Sliema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sliema is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,602 per month in San Pawl Il-bahar 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 San Pawl Il-bahar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in San Pawl Il-bahar and $96.0 in Sliema. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Sliema, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Pawl Il-bahar, where all-in costs run around $1,734, than in Sliema at $2,187. In San Pawl Il-bahar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sliema it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pawl Il-bahar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 San Pawl Il-bahar. 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.