Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Birgu Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Birgu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,175 in Sliema versus $1,802 in Birgu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,360 in Sliema versus $2,879 in Birgu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,546 in Sliema versus $3,955 in Birgu.

Living in Sliema is roughly 21% more expensive than in Birgu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sliema 63% above, Birgu 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.02 €18.37

$20.88 €18.25

0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 €83.0

$96.1 €84.0

-1.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €10.03

$11.39 €9.95

0.79%

Cappuccino

$2.90 €2.54

$2.91 €2.54

-0.34%

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

$2.96 €2.58

$2.26 €1.97

30.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.77 €1.55

28.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 €4.06

$4.66 €4.07

-0.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 €4.07

$4.62 €4.04

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.39 €1.21

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 €1.09

$1.25 €1.09

-0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 €3.64

$4.38 €3.82

-4.79%

Eggs

$4.49 €3.92

$4.16 €3.63

7.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 €9.13

$10.39 €9.08

0.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 €8.24

$8.71 €7.61

8.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 €16.73

$14.07 €12.29

36.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 €3.76

$2.91 €2.54

47.77%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 €2.76

$1.30 €1.13

143.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 €2.82

$2.95 €2.57

9.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 €3.22

$2.95 €2.58

25.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.19

$2.29 €2.00

9.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.35 €1.18

-1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 €2.03

$2.31 €2.02

0.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.09

$0.90 €0.79

38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.78

$6.57 €5.74

0.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 €7.31

$8.04 €7.03

4.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.66 €1.45

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.02

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.50

$2.83 €2.47

1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.40 €12.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 €5.16

$5.91 €5.17

-0.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.22 €3.69

$1.01 €0.88

317.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.09 €42.89

$49.68 €43.41

-1.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.52 €1.33

3.95%

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

$39.1K €34.2K

$27.1K €23.6K

44.50%

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

$38.2K €33.3K

$34.2K €29.9K

11.63%

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

$92.5 €80.8

$95.3 €83.3

-2.98%

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

$27.88 €24.36

$27.98 €24.44

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.26 €40.42

$33.55 €29.31

37.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 €59.9

$45.03 €39.34

52.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.26 €20.32

$23.11 €20.19

0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €9.06

$10.46 €9.14

-0.86%

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

$774 €676

$422 €369

83.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,710

$2,121 €1,853

423.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 €80.5

$26.43 €23.09

248.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 €34.31

$34.94 €30.53

12.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$105 €91.6

-2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €88.8

$102 €89.0

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 €1,270

$1,014 €886

43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 €959

$831 €726

32.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 €2,113

$3,766 €3,291

-35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,741

$1,568 €1,370

27.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,510 €4,814

$3,961 €3,461

39.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,551 €3,103

$2,833 €2,475

25.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,886 €1,648

$1,912 €1,670

-1.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.43

14.67%

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

Last update for Sliema: July 11, 2026

Last update for Birgu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,454 in Sliema and $1,014 in Birgu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Birgu pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sliema vs $96.0 in Birgu. Groceries flip the comparison at $334 vs $285, with Birgu cheaper for home cooking.

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 Birgu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Birgu wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Sliema. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Birgu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Birgu. 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: $1,454 in Sliema versus $1,014 in Birgu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Sliema. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,175 per month in Sliema versus $1,802 in Birgu – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,802 in Birgu versus $2,175 in Sliema, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Birgu but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Birgu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Birgu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,802 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Birgu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sliema and Birgu 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 Birgu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.