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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,441 per month in Sliema vs $1,972 in Balzan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,867 per month in Sliema vs $3,015 in Balzan, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,294 per month in Sliema vs $4,058 in Balzan, rent included.

Sliema costs about 24% more than Balzan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sliema and Balzan sit above the global median – Sliema by 78%, Balzan by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 €17.61

$19.31 €16.71

5.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 €77.6

$90.8 €78.6

-1.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 €12.04

$12.59 €10.90

10.41%

Cappuccino

$2.82 €2.44

$3.21 €2.78

-12.15%

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

$3.13 €2.71

$2.05 €1.78

52.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.01

$1.02 €0.88

128.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 €4.12

$3.41 €2.95

39.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 €4.49

$2.66 €2.30

94.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.24 €1.08

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 €1.21

$0.96 €0.83

45.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 €3.79

$3.64 €3.16

20.05%

Eggs

$4.50 €3.89

$4.28 €3.70

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 €7.27

$10.52 €9.10

-20.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 €9.35

$9.41 €8.14

14.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 €16.13

$12.93 €11.19

44.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 €3.81

$2.62 €2.26

67.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$2.02 €1.75

44.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 €3.27

$1.82 €1.57

107.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 €3.04

$1.14 €0.99

207.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 €2.27

$0.94 €0.82

178.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$0.94 €0.82

123.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 €2.09

$0.89 €0.77

170.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.01 €0.88

31.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 €6.20

$6.49 €5.62

10.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 €7.13

$6.20 €5.37

32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.57

$1.07 €0.93

69.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.12

$1.51 €1.31

62.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.02

$3.06 €2.65

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 €61.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 €4.95

$2.27 €1.96

151.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.89 €1.63

23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.48 €23.79

$33.31 €28.84

-17.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.59 €1.38

-1.26%

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

$39.6K €34.2K

$29.2K €25.3K

35.44%

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

$40.1K €34.7K

$33.4K €28.9K

20.07%

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

$107 €92.8

$161 €140

-33.48%

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

$26.27 €22.74

$20.77 €17.98

26.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.53 €38.55

$30.15 €26.10

47.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 €67.6

$65.4 €56.6

19.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 €14.58

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 €9.13

$11.96 €10.36

-11.87%

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

$372 €322

$281 €243

32.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.1K

$12.5K €10.8K

-6.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 €77.3

$76.2 €65.9

17.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.57 €35.99

$63.1 €54.6

-34.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$116 €101

-12.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 €69.3

$134 €116

-40.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 €1,558

$1,158 €1,002

55.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,087

$968 €838

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,044 €2,635

$1,815 €1,572

67.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,439 €2,111

$1,568 €1,357

55.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,531 €4,788

$3,996 €3,459

38.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 €3,167

$2,833 €2,453

29.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,892 €1,638

$1,040 €900

81.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

4.05

-28.40%

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

Last update for Sliema: September 14, 2026

Last update for Balzan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,800 in Sliema versus $1,158 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 82% 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 $90.0 in Sliema versus $91.0 in Balzan. Groceries tell a different story – $339 in Sliema vs $250 in Balzan – so Balzan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $2,441 in Sliema, $1,972 in Balzan – roughly 24% apart. Sliema costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,661 per month in Sliema and $2,958 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 $90.0 in Sliema and $91.0 in Balzan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $1,972, than in Sliema at $2,441. 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 $1,972 in Balzan to $2,441 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.