Moving to Malta from France

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from France to Malta — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from France to Malta, you would find that Malta is 9.4% cheaper than France overall. A €64,304 salary in France would need to be roughly €63,900 in Malta to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Maltese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Valletta averages 72°F vs 60°F in Paris, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from France to Malta.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 €63,900

To maintain the same standard of living in Malta

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 9.0% less

Groceries

pay 15.0% less

Transportation

pay 15.2% less

Housing

pay 11.5% more

Childcare

pay 21.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 14.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from France to Malta, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1,296 ↑ 117% vs 2015

people born in France 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

How France and Malta stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

FR
1.6
MT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FR
4.7
MT
1.9

Malta performs significantly better than France across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

FR
$6,868
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

FR
33.4
MT
42.8

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France 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

FR
10.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FR
4.0t
MT
3.2t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FR
49.4
MT
43.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FR
21.6%
MT
78.3%

France performs better than Malta across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FR
7.3%
MT
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FR
$55,200
MT
$57,200

Malta performs significantly better than France across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FR
82.6 yrs
MT
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FR
3.1
MT
4.5

Malta generally does better on family life, though France leads in infant mortality.

Data: Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Paris Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
60° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Paris Valletta
Jan–Mar 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Paris Valletta
Jan 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Météo-France Météo-France, Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between France 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.

France passport

France passport holder visiting Malta

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

Malta passport holder visiting France

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

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 France?

Headline costs are within a few percent between Malta and France; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €64,304 comparable salary, that's around €15,975 in Malta for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Malta?

With 43.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malta can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in France and Malta.

Is Malta safe for expats?

Malta performs significantly better than France across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in France.

How is healthcare in Malta compared to France?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in health coverage index. There are 42.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 33.4 in France. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (France: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In France, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

FR MT
Population 68,305,148 464,186
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages French English, Maltese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +33 +356
Time zones 14 1
Emergency number 112 112