Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Malta instead of New York, you would:

Economy

be 34.1% less likely to be unemployed

In New York, 4.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Malta, that number is 2.9% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 25.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In New York, 13.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Malta, however, that number is 16.7% as of 2021.

View global rankings →

make 47.9% less money

New York has a GDP per capita of $91,992 as of 2024, while in Malta, the GDP per capita is $47,907 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: New York vs. Malta

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Malta is 33.7% cheaper than New York
→
Size Comparison · See true size
New York is about 387 times bigger than Malta.
→
Moving from New York to Malta · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→

Malta: At a glance

Malta is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 316 sq km. Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964; a decade later it declared itself a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
Read more

How big is Malta compared to New York? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Malta or United States. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.