Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Msida Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Msida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,441 per month in Sliema vs $1,815 in Msida, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,867 per month in Sliema vs $2,745 in Msida, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,294 per month in Sliema vs $3,676 in Msida, rent included.

Sliema costs about 34% more than Msida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 €17.72

$11.58 €10.08

75.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 €78.1

$52.3 €45.53

71.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 €12.11

$11.38 €9.92

22.14%

Cappuccino

$2.82 €2.45

$2.35 €2.04

20.00%

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

$3.13 €2.72

$2.38 €2.07

31.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.03

$1.14 €1.00

104.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 €4.15

$4.63 €4.04

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 €4.51

$3.49 €3.04

48.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.22

$1.16 €1.01

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 €1.22

$1.35 €1.17

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 €3.81

$4.51 €3.93

-3.10%

Eggs

$4.50 €3.92

$2.83 €2.47

59.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 €7.32

$8.76 €7.63

-4.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 €9.41

$10.79 €9.40

0.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 €16.24

$19.22 €16.75

-3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 €3.83

$4.24 €3.70

3.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 €2.53

$2.90 €2.53

0.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 €3.29

$3.78 €3.30

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 €3.06

$3.45 €3.01

1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 €2.28

$2.61 €2.28

0.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.02 €1.76

3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.34 €2.03

2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.39 €1.21

-4.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 €6.24

$7.03 €6.13

1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 €7.17

$8.38 €7.30

-1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.58

$1.78 €1.55

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.13

$2.42 €2.11

1.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.03

$2.35 €2.05

-0.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 €61.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 €4.99

$5.73 €4.99

-0.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 €2.04

$2.29 €2.00

2.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.48 €23.94

$27.37 €23.85

0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.51 €1.32

3.97%

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

$39.6K €34.5K

$38.3K €33.4K

3.17%

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

$40.1K €34.9K

$39.5K €34.4K

1.45%

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

$107 €93.4

$84.6 €73.7

26.71%

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

$26.27 €22.89

$26.48 €23.07

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.53 €38.79

$29.09 €25.35

53.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 €68.0

$58.1 €50.6

34.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 €14.68

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 €9.19

$10.43 €9.09

1.05%

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

$372 €325

$379 €330

-1.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 €77.8

$88.8 €77.3

0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.57 €36.22

$41.07 €35.78

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.5

$105 €91.5

-3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 €69.8

$82.3 €71.7

-2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 €1,568

$1,081 €941

66.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,094

$942 €821

33.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,044 €2,652

$1,831 €1,595

66.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,439 €2,125

$1,518 €1,322

60.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,531 €4,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 €3,187

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,892 €1,648

$2,867 €2,498

-34.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

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

Last update for Sliema: September 14, 2026

Last update for Msida: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,800 in Sliema versus $1,081 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 52% 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 $90.0 in Sliema versus $52.0 in Msida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $332 – making Msida the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Sliema is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,661 per month in Sliema and $2,722 in Msida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Msida, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,441 in Sliema and $1,815 in Msida. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $372 per month in Sliema and $379 in Msida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Msida, where all-in costs run around $1,815, than in Sliema at $2,441. In Msida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sliema it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Msida – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Msida. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sliema makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.