Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Lija Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Lija

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,187 per month in Sliema vs $2,011 in Lija, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,413 per month in Sliema vs $3,033 in Lija, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Sliema vs $4,055 in Lija, rent included.

Sliema costs about 9% more than Lija, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sliema and Lija sit above the global median – Sliema by 63%, Lija by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.22 €18.27

$20.64 €17.77

2.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.5 €82.2

$68.4 €58.9

39.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.15

$11.40 €9.82

3.42%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.78 €2.39

3.24%

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

$2.99 €2.58

$2.58 €2.22

15.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.99 €1.72

12.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 €3.94

$4.69 €4.04

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €4.00

$4.99 €4.30

-7.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.37 €1.18

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.52 €1.31

-19.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 €3.59

$3.55 €3.06

17.46%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.86

$3.79 €3.26

18.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 €8.84

$9.94 €8.56

3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 €7.86

$10.65 €9.17

-14.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 €16.31

$13.79 €11.88

37.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.34 €2.87

33.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 €2.70

$1.96 €1.69

59.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$2.76 €2.37

16.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$3.30 €2.84

10.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$1.80 €1.55

37.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$2.82 €2.43

-51.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 €2.11

$1.90 €1.64

28.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.28 €1.10

-2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 €5.46

$6.63 €5.71

-4.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 €7.31

$6.21 €5.35

36.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.37 €2.04

-18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.83 €1.58

28.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.72 €2.34

7.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.87

$8.29 €7.14

-31.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 €3.55

$1.97 €1.70

109.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.29 €42.44

$34.63 €29.82

42.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.56 €1.35

0.64%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$25.6K €22.1K

49.24%

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

$38.1K €32.9K

$41.2K €35.4K

-7.33%

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

$93.9 €80.8

$170 €146

-44.82%

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

$28.53 €24.56

$29.54 €25.44

-3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.78 €39.42

$32.80 €28.25

39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 €58.5

$63.2 €54.4

7.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.05 €19.85

$22.97 €19.78

0.35%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.93

$15.01 €12.93

-30.91%

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

$782 €673

$257 €221

204.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,558

$12.5K €10.8K

-11.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.7

$104 €89.8

-12.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 €32.92

$38.26 €32.95

-0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.3

$145 €125

-30.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €88.2

$101 €86.8

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 €1,222

$1,138 €980

24.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €966

$942 €811

19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,453 €2,112

$1,981 €1,706

23.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 €1,673

$1,513 €1,303

28.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,563 €4,790

$4,098 €3,529

35.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,693 €3,180

$2,861 €2,463

29.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,913 €1,647

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 Lija: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,419 in Sliema versus $1,138 in Lija. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Sliema versus $68.0 in Lija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $301 – making Lija 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 Lija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,187 in Sliema, $2,011 in Lija – roughly 9% 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 $3,016 in Lija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lija, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,187 in Sliema and $2,011 in Lija. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $782 per month in Sliema and $257 in Lija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lija, where all-in costs run around $2,011, than in Sliema at $2,187. In Lija 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 $2,011 in Lija 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 Lija. 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.