Sliema puts Valletta a ferry ride away and the sea at the end of your street
A dense, walkable seafront town on Malta's northeast coast, with free resident buses and ferries, an English-speaking daily routine, and a building boom locals have protested for years.
- 22,730
- Population (2024)
- $2,600/mo
- Monthly budget · single
- 67°F / 19°C
- Avg temperature
Budget about $2,600 a month in U.S. dollars for one person in Sliema, with most single budgets falling between $2,100 and $3,000. A couple needs about $3,600, and a family of four about $5,500. Rent is the big line: a one-bedroom in the center averages $1,350 a month, or about $1,050 a bit farther out. Those are 2026 figures.
Sliema sits on a peninsula across Marsamxett Harbour from Valletta and had about 22,700 residents in 2024. Its seafront promenade carries on into Gżira and St. Julian's, the shopping clusters around Tigné Point and Bisazza Street, and English handles almost everything day to day.
It suits remote workers, retirees who'd rather not drive, and anyone who wants an easy first year in Malta. Here's the catch: Sliema has been a long-running building site, and the swimming is off rock shelves and ladders, not sand.
Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 · 4 min read
At a glance
$2,600
Monthly budget · single person
$1,350/mo 1-bed rent, center
72/100
Safety index
$35
Internet / month
67°Fannual average
Feb 55° · Aug 81°
Climate
22,730
Population (2024)
Expatsi estimates, updated Oct 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Cost of living
What it costs to live in Sliema
Single person
$2,100–$3,000/mo
about 15% below Austin, TX
Couple
$3,000–$4,300/mo
about 20% below Austin, TX
Family of four
$4,500–$6,500/mo
about 30% below Austin, TX
Compared with Austin, TX (Expatsi estimate, 2026).
- $16 −20%
- Inexpensive meal
- $1,100–$1,600/mo −31%
- 1-bed rent, center
- $850–$1,250/mo −22%
- 1-bed rent, outside
- $35/mo −46%
- Internet
- $0/mo −100%
- Transit pass
- $576/sq ft −11%
- Buy price, center
Expatsi estimates, updated Oct 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Daily life
How Sliema lives
- A- grade, 72nd percentile among the cities we track
- Dining & cafésstrong
- B+ grade, 62nd percentile among the cities we track
- Arts & culturestrong
- B+ grade, 69th percentile among the cities we track
- Parks & outdoorsstrong
- B- grade, 37th percentile among the cities we track
- Schools & educationtypical
- B grade, 44th percentile among the cities we track
- Healthcare accesstypical
- B- grade, 30th percentile among the cities we track
- Bike infrastructuretypical
- B+ grade, 55th percentile among the cities we track
- Public transitstrong
- A+ grade, good physical accessibility
- Accessibilitygood
Graded on OpenStreetMap amenity density relative to the 298 cities we track. Accessibility is the exception: it's graded against a fixed standard (terrain steepness and sidewalk surfaces), not a curve.
Climate
Weather through the year
Annual average 67°F (19°C) · 21 in of rain a year · Source: Meteostat station normals (16597, 1991-2020)
On the ground
Scenes from Sliema
Getting around
Transport in Sliema
Plenty of people in Sliema live without a car. The center is compact, and the promenade doubles as a walking route to Gżira in one direction and St. Julian's in the other.
Buses are free for anyone with a personalized Tallinja card, which you sign up for online with a valid ID. The scheme started in October 2022, and you still tap the card each time you board. Since January 2024, the same card also gets you onto the Sliema to Valletta ferry and the Barrakka Lift up into the capital at no charge, which turns a Valletta errand into a short boat ride. The Tallinja Direct express routes and on-demand services aren't part of the free scheme, so keep some credit on the card for those.
Malta International Airport is in Luqa, about 7 miles (12 km) away. For late nights and early flights, ride-hailing apps such as Bolt and eCabs fill the gaps.
A car tends to be more hassle than help here. Residents have complained for years about jammed side streets and too little parking, and new apartment blocks keep adding to the pressure.
- 30/sq mi
- Transit stops
- 0.8/sq mi
- Bike infrastructure
- 20/sq mi
- Wheelchair-accessible places
Mapped features per square mile from OpenStreetMap.
Keep exploring
Places like Sliema
Living here
Community & practical notes
Community: Sliema is the default first stop for a lot of newcomers to Malta, so you'll find English-speaking neighbors, cafés along the seafront and an easy social life without much effort. The trade-off is that it can feel more international than Maltese.
The construction question: Sliema's own mayor has said development in the town is out of control and that residents feel pushed to move out. A 38-story tower was approved in the Qui-si-Sana area, and environmental groups have described projects under way on almost every street. Before you sign a lease, walk the block on a weekday morning and ask whether any building sites are planned next door.
LGBTQ expats: Malta placed second in Europe on ILGA-Europe's 2026 Rainbow Map, which scores countries on LGBTQ laws and policies, at about 88%. It had held first place for ten straight years before Spain overtook it this year.
Black Americans: There's very little data on Black Americans in Malta. In the EU Fundamental Rights Agency's 2018 survey of people of African descent, 20% of respondents in Malta reported racist harassment over the previous five years, the lowest rate among the countries surveyed. FRA published a follow-up survey in 2023. Talking with Black expats already on the island before you commit is the best gauge you'll get.
Healthcare: Mater Dei Hospital, Malta's main public hospital and emergency department, is in Msida, a short bus ride away. Emergency care there is free; dial 112 for an ambulance. St. James and St. Thomas are the main private hospitals on the island. Non-EU residents are expected to carry private health insurance, so price coverage before you move.
Remote work: Home internet runs about $35 a month. Regus has four coworking locations in Sliema, and Spaces and The Factory at Tigné Point offer desks too. Malta is six hours ahead of New York, so East Coast calls land in your afternoon. If you're keeping a U.S. job, look at Malta's Nomad Residence Permit. Getting home is easier in summer, when Delta flies Malta to New York three times a week from June to October.
Limited mobility: Mixed. The seafront promenade is wide and paved, and The Point mall has elevators, accessible restrooms and a lift down to the promenade. Away from the water, Malta's sidewalks are often narrow, uneven or blocked, and construction makes it worse. Exiles beach in Sliema has a ramp and a hoist chair for swimming. Check that any building has an elevator before you sign, and contact Malta's Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) for practical help.
Retirement: Sliema works for retirees who want to live car-free, with free buses and ferries and a public hospital nearby. Winters are mild, with January highs averaging about 60°F, while August highs average about 89°F and summer is close to bone dry. Compare Malta's Global Residence Programme and Permanent Residence Programme, see other countries on our retirement visa page, and read our full Malta guide.
Housing
Renting and buying
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $1,100–$1,600/mo
- 1-bed rent (outside center)
- $850–$1,250/mo
- Buy price (center)
- $576/sq ft
- Buy price (outside center)
- $353/sq ft
Expatsi estimates, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Can you live in Sliema without a car?
Yes. Buses across Malta are free for residents with a personalized Tallinja card, and since January 2024 the card also covers the ferry from Sliema to Valletta. The town is compact and walkable, and parking is scarce, so many residents skip owning a car.
Is Sliema safe?
Yes, by most measures. Sliema scores 72 out of 100 on our safety index, with a crime index of 28. Day-to-day complaints from residents are more about traffic, noise and construction than crime.
What is the weather like in Sliema?
Mild winters and hot, dry summers. January highs average about 60°F and August highs about 89°F, and the town gets about 21 inches of rain a year, mostly from fall through winter.
Is Sliema a good place to retire?
It can be, if you want to live car-free with free public transit, English spoken widely and Malta's main public hospital a short bus ride away in Msida. Retirees who want quiet may struggle with Sliema's construction and crowds. Non-EU residents need private health insurance.
How much does it cost to live in Sliema, Malta?
One person should budget about $2,600 a month in U.S. dollars (2026), with most single budgets between $2,100 and $3,000. A couple needs about $3,600 and a family of four about $5,500. A one-bedroom apartment in the center rents for around $1,350 a month.
Do people speak English in Sliema?
Yes. English is one of Malta's two official languages alongside Maltese, and in Sliema you can handle shopping, rentals, doctors and paperwork in English.
Does Sliema have a sandy beach?
No. Sliema's shoreline is rocky, and people swim from rock shelves and ladders off the promenade. The nearest sand is at St. George's Bay in neighboring St. Julian's.
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