Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Tarxien

For one person, living is cheaper in Tarxien: $1,952 a month against $2,416 in Sliema, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sliema, Malta
Tarxien, Malta
Sliema
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,416
/mo nomad
Tarxien
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,952
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sliema and in Tarxien

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Sliema versus $1,952 in Tarxien.

  • Sliema $2,416
  • Tarxien $1,952

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,868 in Sliema versus $3,102 in Tarxien.

  • Sliema $3,868
  • Tarxien $3,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,320 in Sliema versus $4,253 in Tarxien.

  • Sliema $5,320
  • Tarxien $4,253

Living in Sliema is roughly 24% more expensive than in Tarxien, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sliema 78% above, Tarxien 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.81 €17.80
$22.69 €20.38
-12.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.4 €76.7
$89.9 €80.7
-5.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.58 €12.20
$13.30 €11.94
2.11%
Cappuccino
$2.79 €2.50
$3.26 €2.93
-14.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.84
$2.36 €2.12
33.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 €1.98
$1.92 €1.72
15.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.60 €4.13
$5.53 €4.96
-16.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29 €4.75
$6.54 €5.87
-19.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.30 €1.17
4.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 €1.21
$1.41 €1.27
-4.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.44 €3.99
$3.44 €3.09
29.07%
Eggs
$4.17 €3.75
$4.42 €3.97
-5.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.08 €7.26
$10.21 €9.17
-20.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.35 €9.30
$11.95 €10.73
-13.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.36 €16.49
$18.07 €16.23
1.60%
Apples (1kg)
$4.28 €3.84
$3.73 €3.35
14.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$2.67 €2.39
4.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.64 €3.27
$3.98 €3.58
-8.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 €3.06
$3.83 €3.44
-10.97%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 €1.99
$1.91 €1.71
16.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 €1.72
$3.28 €2.95
-41.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 €2.11
$2.23 €2.00
5.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.16
$1.50 €1.35
-14.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78 €6.09
$6.29 €5.65
7.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.97 €7.16
$6.10 €5.48
30.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 €1.52
$2.48 €2.22
-31.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.12
$2.27 €2.04
3.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 €2.00
$2.11 €1.89
5.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$136 €122
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.46 €4.90
$3.87 €3.48
41.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.30 €2.07
$1.77 €1.59
29.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.69 €23.97
$32.80 €29.46
-18.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.47 €1.32
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K €33.6K
$28.3K €25.4K
32.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K €34.5K
$39.4K €35.4K
-2.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 €93.5
$155 €139
-32.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.37 €22.79
$30.62 €27.51
-17.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.68 €39.24
$29.10 €26.14
50.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 €67.1
$65.3 €58.7
14.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.09 €14.45
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 €9.02
$11.38 €10.22
-11.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$370 €332
$273 €245
35.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K €9,969
$12.1K €10.8K
-8.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.0 €79.1
$57.2 €51.4
53.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.29 €36.19
$67.5 €60.7
-40.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €90.5
$114 €102
-11.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5 €71.4
$128 €115
-37.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,752 €1,574
$1,136 €1,020
54.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,233 €1,108
$804 €722
53.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,113 €2,796
$1,707 €1,534
82.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,504 €2,249
$1,516 €1,362
65.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,387 €4,839
$4,169 €3,745
29.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,499 €3,143
$3,223 €2,896
8.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sliema
Tarxien
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,841 €1,654
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
4.05
-28.40%

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

Last update for Sliema: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tarxien: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sliema
$1.2K
Tarxien
$804 34.8% $429
Groceries & Markets
Sliema
$327
Tarxien
$341 4.4% $14
Eating Out
Sliema
$288
Tarxien
$318 10.6% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
$173
Tarxien
$214 23.8% $41
Getting Around
Sliema
$162
Tarxien
$21 * 86.9% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
$139
Tarxien
$165 18.8% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
$95
Tarxien
$88 7.1% $6.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,752 in Sliema and $1,136 in Tarxien. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85 in Sliema vs $90 in Tarxien for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $341 per month, with Sliema cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Sliema
🇲🇹 Tarxien
🕒 Local time
00:05 12:05 AM
00:05 12:05 AM
Same time as Sliema
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,854
8,600
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sliema Tarxien 5 km
From you
  • Sliema
  • Tarxien

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 Tarxien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sliema and in Tarxien?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,416 in Sliema and $1,952 in Tarxien, so Tarxien is about 19% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Sliema compared to Tarxien?
You’d need roughly $3,624 in Sliema and $2,928 in Tarxien to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Sliema and in Tarxien?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,752 in Sliema versus $1,136 in Tarxien. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sliema and Tarxien?
Childcare runs $370 in Sliema versus $273 in Tarxien. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sliema – a meal for two runs $85 versus $90 in Tarxien. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How does quality of life compare between Sliema and Tarxien?
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.
Is Sliema or Tarxien safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sliema and Tarxien are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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