Gzira vs St. Paul's Bay

Side-by-side comparison of property prices, lifestyle, and practical info to help you choose the right area.

Gzira

Up-and-coming residential seafront

St. Paul's Bay

Expansive northern coastal community

€1775

Avg. Rent

€1400 Cheaper

Listings

4 More choice

Avg. Bedrooms

2.3

Very good. Flat terrain, promenade access, short walk to Sliema and Msida.

Walkability

Good along the coast promenade. Inland areas require a car. Flat terrain on the coast, hilly inland.

Moderate. Better than Sliema but still competitive. Some streets have resident-only zones during business hours.

Parking

Moderate. Better than central Malta. Seafront fills in summer. Residential areas have reasonable parking.

Low to moderate. Quieter than Sliema and St. Julian's. Some traffic noise on main coastal road.

Noise Level

Moderate. Busy in summer with tourists. Quieter in winter. Bugibba square is the noisiest area.

Living in Gzira

Gzira sits in the sweet spot between Sliema and Valletta — close enough to both to benefit from their amenities, but with its own identity and a more residential pace of life. The seafront looks out at Manoel Island and the fortified walls of Valletta across the creek, giving Gzira some of the best free harbour views on the island. The town has been quietly gentrifying over the past decade. Once considered a budget alternative to Sliema, Gzira now has its own crop of modern apartment developments, a growing restaurant scene, and the Manoel Island project poised to transform the western end into a luxury residential and marina district. The seafront promenade connects seamlessly to Sliema's — residents can walk from Gzira to Sliema's commercial strip in ten minutes. Gzira appeals to a broad demographic: young professionals priced out of Sliema, students at the nearby University of Malta campus, and families who value the area's relative quiet and good schools. Property prices sit below Sliema but above the island average, and the rental market is strong due to the area's walkability and transport links.

Highlights

Direct views of Valletta's bastions across the creek
Manoel Island — pending luxury development
Seamless seafront promenade connection to Sliema
More affordable than Sliema with similar convenience
Strong rental market driven by proximity to university and business districts

Living in St. Paul's Bay

St. Paul's Bay is Malta's largest northern coastal town — a sprawling stretch of shoreline that encompasses the old fishing village of Xemxija, the tourist strips of Bugibba and Qawra, and the residential community of Burmarrad inland. According to the Bible, St. Paul was shipwrecked here in AD 60, an event that brought Christianity to Malta and gave the area its name. The town has grown explosively over the past two decades, transforming from a quiet seasonal resort into a year-round community of over 25,000 residents. Retired British expats, Maltese families priced out of the central coast, and a growing number of foreign workers have all settled here, drawn by coastal living at more manageable prices than Sliema or St. Julian's. The waterfront is the town's main asset — a long promenade connecting the old fisherman's quay to Bugibba's square to Qawra's rocky beaches. The Malta National Aquarium sits at the Bugibba end, and the Xemxija Heritage Walk traces ancient cart ruts and Roman roads into the hills. Properties range from modern seafront apartments to older terraced houses inland, with prices significantly below the central coast.