Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Msida

For one person, living is cheaper in Msida: $1,805 a month against $2,416 in Sliema, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sliema, Malta
Msida, Malta
Sliema
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,416
/mo nomad
Msida
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,805
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sliema and in Msida

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

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Sliema vs $1,805 in Msida, rent included.

  • Sliema $2,416
  • Msida $1,805

A couple spends around $3,868 per month in Sliema vs $2,670 in Msida, rent included.

  • Sliema $3,868
  • Msida $2,670

A family of three spends $5,320 per month in Sliema vs $3,536 in Msida, rent included.

  • Sliema $5,320
  • Msida $3,536

Sliema costs about 34% more than Msida, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sliema and Msida sit above the global median – Sliema by 78%, Msida by 33%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sliema
Msida
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.81 €17.67
$11.29 €10.08
75.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.4 €76.2
$50.1 €44.69
70.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.58 €12.12
$10.72 €9.57
26.68%
Cappuccino
$2.79 €2.48
$2.26 €2.02
23.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.82
$2.26 €2.01
39.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 €1.97
$1.10 €0.99
100.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.60 €4.10
$4.60 €4.11
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29 €4.72
$3.45 €3.08
53.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sliema
Msida
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.12 €1.00
21.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 €1.20
$1.35 €1.21
-0.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.44 €3.96
$4.46 €3.98
-0.45%
Eggs
$4.17 €3.72
$2.65 €2.36
57.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.08 €7.21
$8.48 €7.57
-4.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.35 €9.24
$10.44 €9.31
-0.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.36 €16.38
$18.08 €16.13
1.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.28 €3.81
$4.27 €3.81
0.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.84 €2.53
-1.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.64 €3.24
$3.69 €3.29
-1.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 €3.04
$3.32 €2.96
2.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.21 €1.97
0.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.90 €1.69
1.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 €2.10
$2.35 €2.10
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.29 €1.15
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78 €6.05
$6.58 €5.87
3.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.97 €7.11
$8.08 €7.21
-1.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 €1.51
$1.71 €1.53
-1.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.11
$2.40 €2.14
-1.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Sliema
Msida
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.18 €1.95
1.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$136 €121
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.46 €4.87
$5.45 €4.86
0.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.30 €2.05
$2.17 €1.94
5.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.69 €23.81
$26.80 €23.91
-0.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.49 €1.33
-1.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K €33.4K
$37.1K €33.1K
0.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K €34.2K
$39.7K €35.4K
-3.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
Msida
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 €92.9
$84.8 €75.6
22.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.37 €22.63
$25.53 €22.78
-0.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.68 €38.97
$27.62 €24.64
58.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
Msida
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 €66.7
$56.3 €50.3
32.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.09 €14.36
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 €8.96
$9.96 €8.89
0.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sliema
Msida
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$370 €330
$363 €324
1.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K €9,902
$11.0K €9,770
1.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
Msida
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.0 €78.5
$86.0 €76.7
2.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.29 €35.95
$39.84 €35.55
1.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €89.9
$98.3 €87.7
2.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5 €70.9
$78.6 €70.1
1.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sliema
Msida
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,752 €1,563
$1,048 €935
67.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,233 €1,100
$917 €818
34.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,113 €2,777
$1,823 €1,627
70.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,504 €2,234
$1,485 €1,325
68.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,387 €4,806
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,499 €3,122
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sliema
Msida
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,841 €1,643
$2,734 €2,440
-32.67%
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 Msida: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sliema
$1.2K
Msida
$917 25.7% $316
Groceries & Markets
Sliema
$327
Msida
$320 2.2% $7.1
Eating Out
Sliema
$288
Msida
$193 32.9% $95
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
$173
Msida
$138 20.3% $35
Getting Around
Sliema
$162
Msida
$25 * 84.5% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
$139
Msida
$136 1.9% $2.6
Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
$95
Msida
$76 19.6% $19

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 $1,048 in Msida. 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 49% higher in Msida, 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 $50 in Msida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $320 – making Msida the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Sliema
🇲🇹 Msida
🕒 Local time
21:11 9:11 PM
21:11 9:11 PM
Same time as Sliema
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,854
8,000
💱 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 = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sliema Msida 2 km
From you
  • Sliema
  • Msida

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 Msida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Msida cheaper than Sliema?
Yes – Sliema is pricier by about 34%, 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 $2,707 in Msida. 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 Msida, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,048 there versus $1,752 in Sliema.
Is eating out cheaper in Sliema or in Msida?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Sliema and $50 in Msida. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $370 per month in Sliema and $363 in Msida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Sliema or in Msida?
It depends on your priorities. Sliema has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,805 in Msida to $2,416 in Sliema. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Sliema or Msida?
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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