Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Mellieha Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Mellieha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,187 in Sliema versus $1,932 in Mellieha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,413 in Sliema versus $2,808 in Mellieha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Sliema versus $3,685 in Mellieha.

Living in Sliema is roughly 13% more expensive than Mellieha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sliema 63% above, Mellieha 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.22 €18.27

$20.33 €17.51

4.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.5 €82.2

$69.7 €60.0

37.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.15

$11.59 €9.98

1.73%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.64 €2.28

8.71%

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

$2.99 €2.58

$2.67 €2.30

11.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.06 €1.78

8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 €3.94

$4.27 €3.67

7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €4.00

$3.50 €3.02

32.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.33 €1.14

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.36 €1.17

-9.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 €3.59

$3.54 €3.05

17.80%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.86

$3.80 €3.27

17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 €8.84

$10.02 €8.63

2.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 €7.86

$10.27 €8.85

-11.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 €16.31

$13.71 €11.81

38.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.46 €2.98

28.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 €2.70

$2.06 €1.77

51.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$2.89 €2.49

11.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$3.18 €2.74

14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$1.81 €1.56

37.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$2.93 €2.52

-53.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 €2.11

$1.70 €1.46

43.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.14 €0.98

9.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 €5.46

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 €7.31

$6.18 €5.32

37.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.34 €2.02

-17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.76 €1.51

33.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.94 €2.53

-0.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.87

$7.96 €6.86

-28.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 €3.55

$1.90 €1.64

117.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.29 €42.44

$34.17 €29.42

44.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.52 €1.30

3.29%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$26.4K €22.7K

45.01%

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

$38.1K €32.9K

$41.1K €35.4K

-7.08%

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

$93.9 €80.8

$110 €94.8

-14.72%

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

$28.53 €24.56

$30.27 €26.07

-5.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.78 €39.42

$32.80 €28.25

39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 €58.5

$63.1 €54.3

7.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.05 €19.85

$22.95 €19.76

0.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.93

$8.70 €7.49

19.20%

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

$782 €673

$260 €224

201.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,558

$9,117 €7,851

21.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.7

$75.3 €64.8

21.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 €32.92

$38.60 €33.24

-0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.3

$95.2 €82.0

6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €88.2

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 €1,222

$1,038 €894

36.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €966

$940 €809

19.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,453 €2,112

$1,749 €1,506

40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 €1,673

$1,408 €1,213

38.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,563 €4,790

$4,070 €3,504

36.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,693 €3,180

$2,935 €2,527

25.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,913 €1,647

$1,407 €1,211

35.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

5.43

-6.45%

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

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mellieha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,419 in Sliema and $1,038 in Mellieha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliema pays 36% 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 $70.0 in Mellieha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $295 per month, with Mellieha 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 Mellieha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mellieha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sliema pays 36% 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 $1,038 in Mellieha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $782 in Sliema versus $260 in Mellieha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mellieha – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $96.0 in Sliema. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,932 in Mellieha versus $2,187 in Sliema, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mellieha but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Mellieha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mellieha is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sliema, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sliema and Mellieha 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 Mellieha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.