Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Marsascala

For one person, living is cheaper in Marsascala: $1,740 a month against $2,416 in Sliema, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sliema, Malta
Marsascala, Malta
Sliema
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,416
/mo nomad
Marsascala
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,740
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sliema and in Marsascala

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

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Sliema vs $1,740 in Marsascala, rent included.

  • Sliema $2,416
  • Marsascala $1,740

A couple spends around $3,868 per month in Sliema vs $2,641 in Marsascala, rent included.

  • Sliema $3,868
  • Marsascala $2,641

A family of three spends $5,320 per month in Sliema vs $3,542 in Marsascala, rent included.

  • Sliema $5,320
  • Marsascala $3,542

Sliema costs about 39% more than Marsascala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sliema and Marsascala sit above the global median – Sliema by 78%, Marsascala by 28%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.81 €17.75
$19.93 €17.86
-0.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.4 €76.5
$85.0 €76.2
0.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.58 €12.17
$13.58 €12.17
-
Cappuccino
$2.79 €2.50
$2.20 €1.97
26.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.84
$2.45 €2.19
28.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 €1.98
$1.38 €1.24
60.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.60 €4.12
$3.94 €3.53
16.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29 €4.74
$3.43 €3.07
54.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.22 €1.09
11.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 €1.20
$0.86 €0.77
55.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.44 €3.98
$3.38 €3.03
31.36%
Eggs
$4.17 €3.74
$4.18 €3.75
-0.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.08 €7.24
$5.71 €5.12
41.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.35 €9.28
$6.22 €5.58
66.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.36 €16.45
$13.87 €12.43
32.37%
Apples (1kg)
$4.28 €3.83
$3.44 €3.08
24.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$2.49 €2.23
12.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.64 €3.26
$2.22 €1.99
63.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 €3.06
$2.86 €2.57
19.23%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 €1.99
$2.26 €2.02
-1.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 €1.72
$1.85 €1.66
3.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 €2.11
$2.29 €2.05
2.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.16
$0.85 €0.76
51.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78 €6.08
$6.60 €5.91
2.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.97 €7.14
$6.88 €6.17
15.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 €1.52
$1.68 €1.51
0.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.12
$2.39 €2.14
-1.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 €1.99
$2.20 €1.97
0.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$136 €122
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.46 €4.89
$5.10 €4.57
7.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.20 €1.97
4.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.69 €23.92
$13.22 €11.85
101.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.51 €1.36
-2.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K €33.6K
$31.3K €28.0K
19.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K €34.4K
$36.0K €32.2K
6.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 €93.3
$101 €90.5
3.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.37 €22.73
$20.54 €18.40
23.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.68 €39.14
$27.61 €24.74
58.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 €67.0
$54.8 €49.10
36.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.09 €14.42
$21.95 €19.67
-26.70%
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 €9.00
$10.24 €9.18
-1.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$370 €331
$225 €202
64.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K €9,945
$4,512 €4,043
145.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.0 €78.9
$88.1 €78.9
-0.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.29 €36.10
$29.49 €26.43
36.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €90.3
$88.1 €78.9
14.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5 €71.2
$79.9 €71.6
-0.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,752 €1,570
$1,022 €916
71.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,233 €1,105
$841 €754
46.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,113 €2,789
$1,566 €1,403
98.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,504 €2,244
$1,294 €1,159
93.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,387 €4,827
$2,942 €2,637
83.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,499 €3,135
$2,315 €2,075
51.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sliema
Marsascala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,841 €1,650
$2,101 €1,883
-12.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
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 Marsascala: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sliema
$1.2K
Marsascala
$841 31.8% $392
Groceries & Markets
Sliema
$327
Marsascala
$253 22.5% $74
Eating Out
Sliema
$288
Marsascala
$268 6.7% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
$173
Marsascala
$149 13.8% $24
Getting Around
Sliema
$162
Marsascala
$25 * 84.6% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
$139
Marsascala
$128 7.5% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
$95
Marsascala
$75 20.6% $20

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 $1,022 in Marsascala. 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 14% higher in Marsascala, 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 $85 in Sliema versus $85 in Marsascala. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Sliema vs $253 in Marsascala – so Marsascala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Sliema
🇲🇹 Marsascala
🕒 Local time
03:31 3:31 AM
03:31 3:31 AM
Same time as Sliema
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,854
12,134
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sliema Marsascala 8 km
From you
  • Sliema
  • Marsascala

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 Marsascala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Marsascala cheaper than Sliema?
Yes – Sliema is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,624 per month in Sliema and $2,611 in Marsascala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Marsascala, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,022 there versus $1,752 in Sliema.
How do food prices compare in Sliema and in Marsascala?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Sliema, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $370 per month in Sliema and $225 in Marsascala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is Sliema or Marsascala more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Marsascala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Sliema or Marsascala?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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