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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,441 per month in Sliema vs $2,189 in Lija, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,867 per month in Sliema vs $3,276 in Lija, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,294 per month in Sliema vs $4,364 in Lija, rent included.

Sliema costs about 11% more than Lija, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sliema and Lija sit above the global median – Sliema by 78%, Lija by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 €17.72

$23.12 €20.15

-12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 €78.1

$93.2 €81.2

-3.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 €12.11

$14.12 €12.30

-1.56%

Cappuccino

$2.82 €2.45

$3.32 €2.89

-15.06%

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

$3.13 €2.72

$2.46 €2.14

27.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.03

$2.07 €1.81

12.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 €4.15

$5.73 €4.99

-16.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 €4.51

$6.81 €5.93

-23.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.22

$1.42 €1.24

-1.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 €1.22

$1.46 €1.27

-4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 €3.81

$3.49 €3.04

25.21%

Eggs

$4.50 €3.92

$4.56 €3.97

-1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 €7.32

$10.53 €9.18

-20.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 €9.41

$12.23 €10.65

-11.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 €16.24

$18.76 €16.34

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 €3.83

$3.86 €3.36

13.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 €2.53

$2.87 €2.50

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 €3.29

$3.94 €3.43

-4.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 €3.06

$3.76 €3.28

-6.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 €2.28

$1.94 €1.69

35.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.55 €3.10

-40.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.28 €1.99

5.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.56 €1.36

-14.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 €6.24

$6.44 €5.61

11.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 €7.17

$6.23 €5.43

32.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.58

$2.59 €2.25

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.13

$2.44 €2.12

0.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.03

$2.49 €2.17

-6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 €61.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 €4.99

$4.02 €3.50

42.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 €2.04

$1.83 €1.60

27.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.48 €23.94

$34.30 €29.88

-19.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.51 €1.32

3.97%

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

$39.6K €34.5K

$29.4K €25.6K

34.70%

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

$40.1K €34.9K

$39.5K €34.5K

1.35%

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

$107 €93.4

$159 €139

-32.65%

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

$26.27 €22.89

$32.12 €27.98

-18.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.53 €38.79

$30.92 €26.94

44.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 €68.0

$56.6 €49.26

38.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 €14.68

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 €9.19

$11.82 €10.30

-10.83%

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

$372 €325

$286 €249

30.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

$12.6K €11.0K

-7.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 €77.8

$75.2 €65.5

18.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.57 €36.22

$64.2 €56.0

-35.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.5

$118 €103

-13.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 €69.8

$136 €119

-41.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 €1,568

$1,226 €1,068

46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,094

$1,037 €904

21.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,044 €2,652

$1,984 €1,729

53.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,439 €2,125

$1,527 €1,331

59.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,531 €4,819

$4,526 €3,943

22.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 €3,187

$2,876 €2,506

27.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,892 €1,648

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 Lija: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,800 in Sliema versus $1,226 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 $90.0 in Sliema versus $93.0 in Lija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $352 – making Sliema 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: $2,441 in Sliema, $2,189 in Lija – roughly 11% apart. Sliema costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,661 per month in Sliema and $3,283 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 $2,441 in Sliema and $2,189 in Lija. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $372 per month in Sliema and $286 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 $2,189, than in Sliema at $2,441. 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 $2,189 in Lija 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 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.