Moving to Malta from Canada

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Canada to Malta? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Canada to Malta, you would find that Malta is 9.4% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$110,000 salary in Canada would need to be roughly €62,400 in Malta to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Valletta averages 72°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Canada and Malta.

What does your salary buy?

CA$110,000 → €62,400

To maintain the same standard of living in Malta

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 8.3% more

Groceries

pay 14.4% less

Transportation

pay 1.0% less

Housing

pay 13.4% less

Childcare

pay 40.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 9.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CAD = 0.6258 EUR (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Malta cost about 3% less than cities in Canada.

Malta

Gzira 59%
Mosta 57%
Msida 57%
San Gwann 52%
Gozo 52%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Canada to Malta.

Living there in 2020
5,317 ↑ 118% vs 2015

people born in Canada live in Malta · UN DESA

Who's moving to Malta?

Top countries of origin for Malta's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Malta compared to Canada.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CA
2.0
MT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CA
4.7
MT
1.9

Malta performs significantly better than Canada across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CA
$7,646
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

CA
28.2
MT
45.1

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CA
8.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CA
14.0t
MT
3.2t

Canada generally does better on environment, though Malta leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CA
42.5
MT
44.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CA
3.7%
MT
72.6%

Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Malta leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CA
6.9%
MT
2.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

CA
$55,698
MT
$47,907

Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Malta leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

CA
82.1 yrs
MT
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CA
4.7
MT
4.7

Canada generally does better on family life, though Malta leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), Government of Malta - Inland Revenue (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ottawa Rain: 37.1 in/yr (943 mm)
52° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Valletta Rain: 21.8 in/yr (553 mm)
72° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ottawa Valletta
Jan–Mar 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Ottawa Valletta
Jan 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada, Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Malta. To live, work, or study long-term in Malta, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malta's immigration authority.

Canada passport

Canada passport holder visiting Malta

Visa Free
Canada passport holders can enter Malta without a visa.
Malta passport

Malta passport holder visiting Canada

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Malta passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Canada.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Malta than Canada?

On average Malta is about 9% less expensive than Canada, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

Budget about €15,600 for 3 months in Malta (based on a CA$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Malta?

Connectivity is usually fine (Malta: 44.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malta offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Malta safe for expats?

Malta performs significantly better than Canada across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.0 in Canada.

How is healthcare in Malta compared to Canada?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 28.2 in Canada. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).

What's the weather like in Malta compared to Canada?

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.

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At a Glance

CA MT
Population 41,651,653 579,704
Currency Canadian Dollar (CA$) Euro (€)
Languages English, French English, Maltese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +356
Time zones 6 1
Emergency number 911 112