Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Mdina Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Mdina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,187 in Sliema versus $1,996 in Mdina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,413 in Sliema versus $3,018 in Mdina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Sliema versus $4,040 in Mdina.

Living in Sliema is roughly 10% more expensive than Mdina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sliema 63% above, Mdina 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.22 €18.27

$20.98 €18.06

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.5 €82.2

$94.1 €81.0

1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.15

$11.40 €9.82

3.42%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.95 €2.54

-2.71%

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

$2.99 €2.58

$3.05 €2.63

-1.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.18 €1.88

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 €3.94

$4.54 €3.91

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €4.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.41 €1.21

-0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.26 €1.08

-2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 €3.59

$4.24 €3.65

-1.65%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.86

$4.58 €3.94

-2.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 €8.84

$10.30 €8.87

-0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 €7.86

$9.20 €7.92

-0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 €16.31

$14.20 €12.22

33.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 €3.84

$4.31 €3.71

3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 €2.70

$3.06 €2.64

2.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$3.23 €2.78

-0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$3.61 €3.11

1.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.60 €2.24

-4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.35 €1.16

0.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 €2.11

$2.36 €2.03

3.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.20 €1.03

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 €5.46

$6.55 €5.64

-3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 €7.31

$8.40 €7.23

1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.95 €1.68

-1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.23 €1.92

5.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.81 €2.42

4.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.87

$5.77 €4.96

-1.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 €3.55

$4.06 €3.49

1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.29 €42.44

$48.81 €42.03

0.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.53 €1.32

2.61%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$39.2K €33.7K

-2.27%

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

$38.1K €32.9K

$37.4K €32.2K

2.11%

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

$93.9 €80.8

$93.2 €80.3

0.69%

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

$28.53 €24.56

$28.63 €24.65

-0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.78 €39.42

$45.95 €39.57

-0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 €58.5

$64.9 €55.9

4.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.05 €19.85

$22.88 €19.70

0.74%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.93

$10.23 €8.81

1.37%

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

$782 €673

$428 €368

82.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,558

$10.9K €9,371

1.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.7

$91.2 €78.5

0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 €32.92

$38.33 €33.00

-0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.3

$104 €89.5

-2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €88.2

$103 €88.8

-0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 €1,222

$1,150 €991

23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €966

$949 €818

18.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,453 €2,112

$2,018 €1,738

21.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 €1,673

$1,531 €1,319

26.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,563 €4,790

$4,554 €3,921

22.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,693 €3,180

$2,826 €2,434

30.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,913 €1,647

$1,539 €1,325

24.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

69.33%

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

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mdina: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,419 in Sliema and $1,150 in Mdina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliema pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $96.0 in Sliema vs $94.0 in Mdina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $318 per month, with Mdina cheaper across the board.

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 Mdina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sliema and Mdina differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,187 vs $1,996 including rent). Mdina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sliema pays 24% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,419 in Sliema versus $1,150 in Mdina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Sliema. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,187 per month in Sliema versus $1,996 in Mdina – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,996 in Mdina versus $2,187 in Sliema, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mdina but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Mdina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sliema and Mdina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mdina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.