Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Birkirkara Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Birkirkara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,187 per month in Sliema vs $2,019 in Birkirkara, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,413 per month in Sliema vs $2,963 in Birkirkara, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Sliema vs $3,908 in Birkirkara, rent included.

Sliema costs about 8% more than Birkirkara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sliema and Birkirkara sit above the global median – Sliema by 63%, Birkirkara by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.22 €18.27

$15.69 €13.51

35.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.5 €82.2

$69.2 €59.6

38.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.15

$11.55 €9.95

2.08%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.20 €2.76

-10.31%

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

$2.99 €2.58

$2.30 €1.98

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.76 €1.51

26.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 €3.94

$4.02 €3.46

13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €4.00

$3.93 €3.39

18.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.36 €1.17

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.34 €1.15

-8.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 €3.59

$3.36 €2.89

24.11%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.86

$3.28 €2.83

36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 €8.84

$9.72 €8.37

5.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 €7.86

$10.51 €9.05

-13.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 €16.31

$13.96 €12.02

35.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.39 €2.06

86.61%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 €2.70

$1.82 €1.57

71.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$2.23 €1.92

43.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$2.85 €2.45

28.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$1.45 €1.25

71.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.74 €1.50

-21.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 €2.11

$1.87 €1.61

30.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.11 €0.95

12.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 €5.46

$6.58 €5.67

-3.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 €7.31

$10.32 €8.88

-17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.30 €1.98

-16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$3.95 €3.40

-40.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.36 €2.03

24.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.65 €24.67

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.87

$5.72 €4.92

-1.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 €3.55

$1.93 €1.66

113.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.29 €42.44

$71.9 €61.9

-31.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.59 €1.37

-1.26%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$26.5K €22.8K

44.43%

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

$38.1K €32.9K

$40.9K €35.2K

-6.69%

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

$93.9 €80.8

$120 €104

-22.07%

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

$28.53 €24.56

$29.21 €25.16

-2.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.78 €39.42

$31.64 €27.25

44.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 €58.5

$68.5 €59.0

-0.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.05 €19.85

$29.64 €25.52

-22.23%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.93

$14.06 €12.11

-26.24%

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

$782 €673

$426 €367

83.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,558

$6,876 €5,921

61.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.7

$147 €127

-37.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 €32.92

$60.2 €51.8

-36.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.3

$112 €96.9

-9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €88.2

$171 €148

-40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 €1,222

$1,138 €980

24.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €966

$939 €808

19.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,453 €2,112

$1,756 €1,512

39.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 €1,673

$1,402 €1,207

38.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,563 €4,790

$4,087 €3,520

36.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,693 €3,180

$2,821 €2,429

30.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,913 €1,647

$1,940 €1,670

-1.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.79

6.05%

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

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Last update for Birkirkara: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,419 in Sliema versus $1,138 in Birkirkara. 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 1% higher in Birkirkara, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Sliema versus $69.0 in Birkirkara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $292 – making Birkirkara 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 Birkirkara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sliema costs about 8% more than Birkirkara, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,280 per month in Sliema and $3,028 in Birkirkara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Birkirkara, where all-in costs run around $2,019, than in Sliema at $2,187. In Birkirkara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sliema it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Birkirkara costs $2,019 versus $2,187 in Sliema. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Birkirkara. 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.