The stone itself is identical — the same Carrara, Calacatta, or Statuario marble, from the same quarries. The difference is in the format and application. Tiles are cut to standardised dimensions (typically 300x300mm, 300x600mm, 600x600mm, or 600x1200mm) from slabs, calibrated to a uniform thickness, and often sold by the square metre. Slabs are the full-size pieces as they come from the processing plant — typically 2.5m x 1.5m or larger — used for worktops, islands, and feature walls where a seamless surface is essential. Tiles create a grid of grout lines; slabs create an uninterrupted surface. Tiles are more affordable per square metre because they utilise more of the slab including areas that would be rejected for a continuous countertop.