Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Marsa

For one person, living is cheaper in Sliema: $2,416 a month against $2,871 in Marsa, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Marsa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

115

Cost of Living Index in Sliema
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Sliema Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Marsa
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Marsa Living Index

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Sliema

🇲🇹 Malta

$2,416

/mo nomad

Marsa

🇲🇹 Malta

$2,871

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sliema and in Marsa

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 Marsa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Sliema vs $2,871 in Marsa, rent included.

Sliema $2,416
Marsa $2,871

A couple spends around $3,868 per month in Sliema vs $3,976 in Marsa, rent included.

Sliema $3,868
Marsa $3,976

A family of three spends $5,320 per month in Sliema vs $5,081 in Marsa, rent included.

Sliema $5,320
Marsa $5,081

Sliema is about 16% cheaper than Marsa.

Both Sliema and Marsa sit above the global median – Sliema by 78%, Marsa by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 €17.67

$19.41 €17.31

2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 €76.2

$85.2 €76.0

0.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.58 €12.12

$13.67 €12.19

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.48

$2.69 €2.40

3.72%

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

$3.16 €2.82

$2.28 €2.04

38.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.97

$2.27 €2.02

-2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.10

$4.58 €4.08

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 €4.72

$2.53 €2.25

109.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.21

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 €1.20

$1.29 €1.15

3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 €3.96

$4.22 €3.76

5.21%

Eggs

$4.17 €3.72

$4.33 €3.87

-3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 €7.21

$8.43 €7.52

-4.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 €9.24

$10.25 €9.14

0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.36 €16.38

$18.47 €16.48

-0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 €3.81

$4.27 €3.81

0.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 €2.49

$2.69 €2.40

4.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 €3.24

$3.55 €3.17

2.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 €3.04

$3.27 €2.92

4.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 €1.98

$2.25 €2.01

-1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 €1.71

$1.87 €1.67

2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 €2.10

$2.27 €2.02

3.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.15

$1.31 €1.17

-1.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €6.05

$6.85 €6.11

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 €7.11

$8.36 €7.46

-4.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.51

$1.63 €1.46

3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.11

$2.33 €2.08

1.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 €1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$136 €121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.87

$5.75 €5.13

-5.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 €2.05

$2.29 €2.04

0.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.69 €23.81

$26.56 €23.69

0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.32

$1.47 €1.31

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

$37.4K €33.4K

$37.4K €33.3K

0.19%

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

$38.4K €34.2K

0.03%

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

$104 €92.9

$103 €92.2

0.71%

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

$25.37 €22.63

$24.97 €22.28

1.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.68 €38.97

$42.87 €38.25

1.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 €66.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.09 €14.36

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 €8.96

$10.19 €9.09

-1.47%

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

$370 €330

$372 €332

-0.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,902

$11.2K €9,953

-0.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 €78.5

$86.1 €76.8

2.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 €35.95

$39.89 €35.59

1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €89.9

$101 €90.4

-0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 €70.9

$77.4 €69.1

2.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 €1,563

$2,481 €2,213

-29.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,100

$1,925 €1,718

-35.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,113 €2,777

$2,271 €2,026

37.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,504 €2,234

$2,758 €2,460

-9.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,387 €4,806

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,499 €3,122

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,841 €1,643

$3,229 €2,881

-42.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

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

Last update for Sliema: October 27, 2026

Last update for Marsa: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sliema

$1.2K 51%

Marsa

$1.9K 67.1% 56.2% $692

Groceries & Markets

Sliema

$327 13.5%

Marsa

$326 11.3% 0.4% $1.2

Eating Out

Sliema

$288 11.9%

Marsa

$275 9.6% 4.5% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sliema

$173 7.2%

Marsa

$171 6% 1.1% $1.9

Getting Around

Sliema

$162 6.7%

Marsa

$17 * 0.6% 89.4% $145

Clothing & Footwear

Sliema

$139 5.8%

Marsa

$137 4.8% 1.2% $1.7

Sport & Entertainment

Sliema

$95 3.9%

Marsa

$20 * 0.7% 78.5% $74

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,752 in Sliema versus $2,481 in Marsa. 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 75% higher in Marsa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Sliema versus $85 in Marsa. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Sliema vs $326 in Marsa – so Marsa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇹 Sliema

🇲🇹 Marsa

🕒 Local time

20:47 8:47 PM

Same time as Sliema

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,854

5,000

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sliema Marsa 3 km

From you

Sliema
Marsa

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 Marsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,624 per month in Sliema and $4,307 in Marsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sliema, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,752 there versus $2,481 in Marsa.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,416 in Sliema and $2,871 in Marsa. That makes Sliema about 16% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $370 per month in Sliema and $372 in Marsa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Sliema has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,416 in Sliema to $2,871 in Marsa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Sliema. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marsa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.