Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Balzan Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Balzan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,187 per month in Sliema vs $1,772 in Balzan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,413 per month in Sliema vs $2,807 in Balzan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Sliema vs $3,841 in Balzan, rent included.

Sliema costs about 23% more than Balzan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sliema and Balzan sit above the global median – Sliema by 63%, Balzan by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.22 €18.25

$19.37 €16.67

9.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.5 €82.2

$68.8 €59.2

38.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.14

$11.48 €9.88

2.70%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.71 €2.33

5.90%

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

$2.99 €2.57

$2.07 €1.78

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.06 €0.91

110.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 €3.94

$3.43 €2.95

33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €3.99

$2.63 €2.26

76.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.24 €1.06

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.02 €0.88

20.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 €3.59

$3.44 €2.96

21.22%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.85

$3.73 €3.21

20.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 €8.83

$9.69 €8.34

5.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 €7.85

$9.30 €8.00

-1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 €16.29

$12.55 €10.80

50.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 €3.83

$2.59 €2.23

72.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 €2.69

$1.98 €1.70

58.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$1.82 €1.57

76.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.14

$1.15 €0.99

217.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.13

$0.94 €0.81

163.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.88 €0.76

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 €2.10

$0.90 €0.77

171.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.00 €0.86

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 €5.45

$6.35 €5.46

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 €7.30

$6.03 €5.19

40.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.07 €0.92

79.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.47 €1.26

59.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.52

$3.10 €2.66

-5.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.87

$2.28 €1.96

148.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 €3.55

$1.87 €1.61

120.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.29 €42.40

$35.38 €30.44

39.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.58 €1.36

-0.63%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$25.9K €22.3K

47.49%

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

$38.1K €32.8K

$33.0K €28.4K

15.67%

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

$93.9 €80.8

$165 €142

-43.13%

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

$28.53 €24.54

$21.16 €18.20

34.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.78 €39.38

$32.57 €28.01

40.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 €58.5

$63.9 €55.0

6.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.05 €19.83

$23.04 €19.82

0.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.92

$15.23 €13.10

-31.91%

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

$782 €672

$262 €225

198.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,548

$12.7K €10.9K

-12.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.6

$101 €86.9

-9.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 €32.88

$39.17 €33.69

-2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.2

$143 €123

-29.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €88.1

$103 €88.2

-0.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 €1,221

$860 €739

65.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €965

$783 €673

43.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,453 €2,110

$1,619 €1,393

51.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 €1,672

$1,532 €1,318

26.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,563 €4,785

$4,054 €3,487

37.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,693 €3,177

$2,893 €2,489

27.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,913 €1,646

$1,061 €913

80.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

5.43

-6.45%

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

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Last update for Balzan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,419 in Sliema versus $860 in Balzan. 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 80% 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 $96.0 in Sliema versus $69.0 in Balzan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $243 – making Balzan 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

Sliema vs Balzan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,187 in Sliema, $1,772 in Balzan – roughly 23% apart. Sliema costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,280 per month in Sliema and $2,658 in Balzan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Balzan, 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 $96.0 in Sliema and $69.0 in Balzan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Balzan, where all-in costs run around $1,772, than in Sliema at $2,187. In Balzan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sliema it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sliema has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,772 in Balzan to $2,187 in Sliema. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Balzan. 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.