Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Rabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Rabat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,187 per month in Sliema vs $1,883 in Rabat, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,413 per month in Sliema vs $2,839 in Rabat, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Sliema vs $3,796 in Rabat, rent included.

Sliema costs about 16% more than Rabat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sliema and Rabat sit above the global median – Sliema by 63%, Rabat by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.22 €18.27

$17.07 €14.69

24.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.5 €82.2

$70.7 €60.9

35.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.15

$11.36 €9.78

3.79%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.45 €2.11

17.14%

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

$2.99 €2.58

$2.66 €2.29

12.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.69 €1.45

31.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 €3.94

$3.51 €3.02

30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €4.00

$3.39 €2.92

36.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.15 €0.99

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.28 €1.11

-3.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 €3.59

$2.36 €2.03

76.69%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.86

$3.68 €3.17

21.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 €8.84

$10.22 €8.80

0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 €7.86

$8.32 €7.17

9.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 €16.31

$18.92 €16.29

0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 €3.84

$4.31 €3.71

3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 €2.70

$2.35 €2.02

33.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$3.27 €2.82

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$2.26 €1.95

61.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$1.19 €1.02

108.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.19 €1.03

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 €2.11

$1.18 €1.02

106.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.19 €1.02

5.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 €5.46

$6.53 €5.62

-2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 €7.31

$8.44 €7.27

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.88 €1.62

2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.30 €1.98

2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.81 €2.42

4.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.87

$5.67 €4.89

-0.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 €3.55

$4.19 €3.61

-1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.29 €42.44

$49.43 €42.57

-0.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.52 €1.31

3.29%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$38.2K €32.9K

0.22%

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

$38.1K €32.9K

$37.4K €32.2K

2.06%

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

$93.9 €80.8

$94.2 €81.1

-0.35%

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

$28.53 €24.56

$12.60 €10.85

126.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.78 €39.42

$45.84 €39.47

-0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 €58.5

$69.3 €59.7

-1.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.05 €19.85

$34.35 €29.58

-32.90%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.93

$10.56 €9.09

-1.80%

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

$782 €673

$435 €375

79.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,558

$11.1K €9,574

-0.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.7

$90.1 €77.6

1.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 €32.92

$28.48 €24.53

34.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.3

$74.0 €63.7

37.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €88.2

$103 €88.4

-0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 €1,222

$1,129 €972

25.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €966

$956 €823

17.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,453 €2,112

$2,011 €1,732

21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 €1,673

$1,509 €1,299

28.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,563 €4,790

$4,371 €3,764

27.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,693 €3,180

$3,116 €2,683

18.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,913 €1,647

$1,387 €1,194

37.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

3.2

58.75%

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

Last update for Sliema: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rabat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,419 in Sliema versus $1,129 in Rabat. 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 38% higher in Sliema, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Sliema versus $71.0 in Rabat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $293 – making Rabat 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 Rabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sliema is pricier by about 16%, 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 $3,280 per month in Sliema and $2,824 in Rabat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Sliema and $71.0 in Rabat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Sliema, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rabat, where all-in costs run around $1,883, than in Sliema at $2,187. In Rabat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sliema it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabat – 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 Rabat. 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.