Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliema and Zurrieq

For one person, living is cheaper in Zurrieq: $1,860 a month against $2,396 in Sliema, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sliema
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,396
/mo nomad
Zurrieq
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,860
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sliema and in Zurrieq

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,396 in Sliema versus $1,860 in Zurrieq.

  • Sliema $2,396
  • Zurrieq $1,860

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,794 in Sliema versus $2,970 in Zurrieq.

  • Sliema $3,794
  • Zurrieq $2,970

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,191 in Sliema versus $4,080 in Zurrieq.

  • Sliema $5,191
  • Zurrieq $4,080

Living in Sliema is roughly 29% more expensive than in Zurrieq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sliema 77% above, Zurrieq 38% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.81 €17.63
$19.89 €17.69
-0.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.6 €76.2
$87.2 €77.6
-1.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.24 €11.77
$13.15 €11.70
0.68%
Cappuccino
$2.77 €2.47
$2.65 €2.36
4.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.69
$3.18 €2.83
-5.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 €1.92
$2.27 €2.02
-4.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.60 €4.09
$4.61 €4.10
-0.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.24 €4.66
$5.08 €4.51
3.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 €1.20
$1.34 €1.19
0.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.36 €1.21
0.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.24 €3.77
$4.37 €3.89
-2.97%
Eggs
$4.30 €3.82
$4.28 €3.81
0.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.27 €7.35
$8.14 €7.24
1.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.25 €9.12
$10.59 €9.42
-3.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.21 €16.20
$18.01 €16.02
1.11%
Apples (1kg)
$4.24 €3.77
$4.17 €3.71
1.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.81 €2.50
$2.82 €2.51
-0.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.52 €3.13
$3.65 €3.25
-3.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.32 €2.95
$3.25 €2.89
2.15%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 €2.16
$2.53 €2.25
-4.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.05 €1.82
$2.03 €1.81
0.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 €2.08
$2.34 €2.08
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.35 €1.20
-3.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.83 €6.08
$6.72 €5.98
1.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.09 €7.19
$8.03 €7.14
0.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.68 €1.49
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.14
$2.44 €2.17
-1.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.39 €2.13
-9.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$133 €118
$30.86 €27.45
331.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.64 €5.02
$5.65 €5.02
-0.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.29 €2.04
-3.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.09 €24.10
$26.42 €23.50
2.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.53 €1.36
0.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.9K €33.7K
$38.1K €33.9K
-0.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.6K €35.2K
$38.8K €34.5K
2.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 €91.9
$100 €89.2
3.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.61 €22.78
$25.68 €22.84
-0.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.84 €38.10
$43.29 €38.50
-1.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.4 €68.0
$65.2 €58.0
17.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.86 €14.11
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.20 €9.08
$10.09 €8.97
1.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$366 €326
$365 €325
0.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K €9,912
$11.1K €9,911
0.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.5 €76.0
$86.0 €76.5
-0.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.84 €36.33
$40.31 €35.85
1.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €90.0
$99.6 €88.6
1.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.7 €68.2
$76.7 €68.2
0.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,775 €1,579
$1,032 €918
72.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,220 €1,085
$798 €710
52.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,913 €2,591
$1,832 €1,629
59.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,385 €2,122
$1,509 €1,342
58.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,353 €4,762
$3,584 €3,188
49.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,578 €3,183
$2,826 €2,513
26.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sliema
Zurrieq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,815 €1,614
$2,679 €2,383
-32.28%
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 12, 2026

Last update for Zurrieq: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sliema
$1.2K
Zurrieq
$798 34.6% $422
Groceries & Markets
Sliema
$326
Zurrieq
$328 0.5% $1.7
Eating Out
Sliema
$286
Zurrieq
$285 0.1% $0.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliema
$172
Zurrieq
$169 1.5% $2.5
Getting Around
Sliema
$158
Zurrieq
$58 63.7% $101
Clothing & Footwear
Sliema
$137
Zurrieq
$136 0.5% $0.7
Sport & Entertainment
Sliema
$97
Zurrieq
$85 11.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,775 in Sliema and $1,032 in Zurrieq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurrieq pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Sliema vs $87.0 in Zurrieq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $328 per month, with Sliema cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Sliema
🇲🇹 Zurrieq
🕒 Local time
16:05 4:05 PM
16:05 4:05 PM
Same time as Sliema
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,854
11,823
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sliema Zurrieq 10 km
From you
  • Sliema
  • Zurrieq

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 Zurrieq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sliema and in Zurrieq?
Sliema and Zurrieq differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,396 vs $1,860 including rent). Zurrieq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Zurrieq. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Sliema and in Zurrieq?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,775 in Sliema versus $1,032 in Zurrieq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Sliema pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Zurrieq – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $86.0 in Sliema. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,860 in Zurrieq versus $2,396 in Sliema, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Zurrieq but tight or insufficient in Sliema. The gap between the two cities makes Zurrieq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sliema and Zurrieq?
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 Zurrieq safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sliema and Zurrieq are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Sliema or Zurrieq?
Expats usually find Zurrieq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Sliema. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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