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: $2,175 in Sliema versus $2,017 in Mdina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,360 in Sliema versus $3,028 in Mdina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,546 in Sliema versus $4,039 in Mdina.

Living in Sliema is roughly 8% more expensive than in Mdina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sliema 63% above, Mdina 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.02 €18.41

$21.17 €18.54

-0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 €83.2

$94.2 €82.5

0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €10.06

$11.46 €10.04

0.17%

Cappuccino

$2.90 €2.54

$3.04 €2.66

-4.61%

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

$2.96 €2.59

$3.11 €2.72

-4.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.99

$2.26 €1.98

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 €4.07

$4.69 €4.10

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 €4.08

$4.59 €4.02

1.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.40 €1.23

-1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 €1.09

$1.24 €1.08

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 €3.65

$4.40 €3.86

-5.23%

Eggs

$4.49 €3.93

$4.72 €4.14

-4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 €9.15

$10.42 €9.13

0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 €8.26

$9.61 €8.42

-1.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 €16.78

$14.14 €12.38

35.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 €3.77

$4.45 €3.90

-3.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 €2.76

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 €2.83

$3.32 €2.91

-2.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 €3.23

$3.68 €3.22

0.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.20

$2.58 €2.26

-2.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.35 €1.18

-1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 €2.04

$2.41 €2.12

-3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.24 €1.08

0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.79

$6.35 €5.56

4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 €7.33

$8.18 €7.17

2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.93 €1.69

-4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.03

$2.24 €1.96

3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.50

$2.70 €2.37

5.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 €5.17

$5.66 €4.96

4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.22 €3.70

$4.13 €3.62

2.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.09 €42.99

$49.29 €43.17

-0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.39

$1.51 €1.32

4.64%

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

$39.1K €34.2K

$38.5K €33.7K

1.60%

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

$38.2K €33.4K

$37.8K €33.1K

0.85%

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

$92.5 €81.0

$91.9 €80.4

0.65%

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

$27.88 €24.42

$28.86 €25.28

-3.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.26 €40.51

$46.04 €40.32

0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 €60.1

$64.8 €56.7

5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.26 €20.37

$23.33 €20.43

-0.30%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €9.08

$10.60 €9.29

-2.17%

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

$774 €678

$434 €380

78.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,734

$10.9K €9,538

2.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 €80.7

$92.7 €81.2

-0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 €34.39

$38.66 €33.86

1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.8

$104 €91.0

-1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €89.0

$101 €88.4

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 €1,273

$1,124 €984

29.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 €962

$930 €814

18.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 €2,118

$2,005 €1,756

20.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,745

$1,509 €1,322

32.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,510 €4,826

$4,447 €3,894

23.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,551 €3,110

$2,410 €2,111

47.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,886 €1,652

$1,542 €1,351

22.32%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mdina: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,454 in Sliema and $1,124 in Mdina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliema pays 22% 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: $95.0 in Sliema vs $94.0 in Mdina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $323 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 8% in total monthly costs ($2,175 vs $2,017 including rent). Mdina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Sliema, 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: $1,454 in Sliema versus $1,124 in Mdina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Sliema. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,175 per month in Sliema versus $2,017 in Mdina – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,017 in Mdina versus $2,175 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 8% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.