Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $2,371 in Sliema, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sliema, Malta
Cape Town, South Africa
Sliema
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,371
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sliema and in Cape Town

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sliema and in Cape Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,371 per month in Sliema vs $1,527 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Sliema $2,371
  • Cape Town $1,527

A couple spends around $3,842 per month in Sliema vs $2,417 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Sliema $3,842
  • Cape Town $2,417

A family of three spends $5,312 per month in Sliema vs $3,306 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Sliema $5,312
  • Cape Town $3,306

Sliema costs about 55% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sliema and Cape Town sit above the global median – Sliema by 75%, Cape Town by 13%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.35 €17.23
$12.01 R 198
61.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.3 €76.9
$42.92 R 707
101.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.19 €11.74
$6.15 R 101
114.47%
Cappuccino
$2.63 €2.34
$2.37 R 39.04
10.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 €2.82
$1.27 R 20.96
149.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.94 R 15.46
141.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.62 €4.11
$2.96 R 48.77
56.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.09 €4.53
$3.69 R 60.8
37.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.32 R 21.73
1.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.21 R 19.87
9.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.23 €3.76
$2.20 R 36.26
92.27%
Eggs
$4.18 €3.72
$3.10 R 51.1
34.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.16 €7.27
$8.73 R 144
-6.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.48 €9.33
$6.89 R 114
52.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.37 €16.35
$9.26 R 153
98.38%
Apples (1kg)
$4.19 €3.73
$1.83 R 30.08
128.96%
Banana (1kg)
$2.83 €2.52
$1.95 R 32.12
45.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.59 €3.19
$1.66 R 27.32
116.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.34 €2.97
$2.14 R 35.19
56.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.58 R 26.01
40.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.47 R 24.29
30.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.35 R 22.18
74.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.14 R 18.85
17.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.61 €5.89
$3.58 R 59.0
84.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.35 €7.43
$6.05 R 99.7
38.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.39 R 22.95
20.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 €2.13
$2.18 R 35.90
9.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 €2.02
$1.40 R 23.02
61.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$135 €120
$60.8 R 1,001
122.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.71 €5.09
$0.93 R 15.26
513.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.23 €1.98
$0.90 R 14.83
147.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.37 €23.48
$4.96 R 81.7
431.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 €1.31
$1.54 R 25.37
-3.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K €33.3K
$35.4K R 582.8K
5.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.3K
$33.4K R 549.9K
15.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 €92.7
$117 R 1,929
-11.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.08 €22.33
$25.71 R 424
-2.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.91 €38.21
$39.41 R 649
8.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.0 €65.9
$51.6 R 850
43.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.90 €14.16
$11.35 R 187
40.09%
Cinema Ticket
$9.94 €8.85
$8.89 R 146
11.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$371 €330
$308 R 5,069
20.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,974 €7,990
$8,141 R 134.2K
10.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2 €77.6
$57.4 R 946
51.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 €35.74
$31.75 R 523
26.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.7 €87.9
$116 R 1,911
-14.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.7 €69.2
$101 R 1,660
-22.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,744 €1,553
$1,047 R 17.2K
66.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,199 €1,068
$669 R 11.0K
79.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,018 €2,687
$1,861 R 30.7K
62.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,515 €2,239
$1,407 R 23.2K
78.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,304 €4,722
$2,410 R 39.7K
120.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,614 €3,218
$1,570 R 25.9K
130.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sliema
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,789 €1,593
$1,630 R 26.9K
9.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
10.89
-73.37%

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

Last update for Sliema: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sliema
$1.2K
Cape Town
$669 44.2% $530
Groceries & Markets
Sliema
$327
Cape Town
$223 31.7% $104
Eating Out
Sliema
$281
Cape Town
$174 38.1% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
$172
Cape Town
$182 5.9% $10
Getting Around
Sliema
$161
Cape Town
$72 55.5% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
$137
Cape Town
$138 0.7% $0.9
Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
$94
Cape Town
$69 26% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,744 in Sliema versus $1,047 in Cape Town. 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 10% 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 $86 in Sliema versus $43 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $223 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Sliema
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
05:07 5:07 AM
06:07 6:07 AM
1 h ahead of Sliema
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,854
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sliema Cape Town 7,780 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sliema
  • Cape Town

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sliema or Cape Town?
Sliema costs about 55% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Sliema and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,557 per month in Sliema and $2,291 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Sliema or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cape Town, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,047 there versus $1,744 in Sliema.
How much does it cost to live in Sliema compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,371 in Sliema and $1,527 in Cape Town. That makes Cape Town about 36% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Sliema compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 55% less in Cape Town. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Sliema or in Cape Town?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,371 in Sliema and $1,527 in Cape Town. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sliema or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cape Town costs $1,527 versus $2,371 in Sliema. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Sliema or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sliema makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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