Moving to Malta from Ireland

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Ireland to Malta — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Ireland to Malta, you would find that Malta is 23.5% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €67,000 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly €51,300 in Malta to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Valletta averages 72°F vs 56°F in Dublin, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Malta cheaper than Ireland?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 9.3% less

Groceries

pay 6.7% less

Transportation

pay 36.0% less

Housing

pay 30.8% less

Childcare

pay 31.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 29.9% 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.

What salary do you need in Malta?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → €51,300

To maintain the same standard of living in Malta

Calculate with your salary →

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 13% less than cities in Ireland.

Ireland

Cork 69%
Carlow 66%
Athlone 65%
Drogheda 64%

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?

How many people actually move from Ireland to Malta, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
819 ↑ 117% vs 2015

people born in Ireland 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ireland to Malta.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IE
0.7
MT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IE
2.8
MT
1.9

Malta performs significantly better than Ireland across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IE
$8,772
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IE
38.8
MT
45.1

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IE
13.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IE
6.0t
MT
3.2t

Ireland 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

IE
32.3
MT
44.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IE
8.1%
MT
72.6%

Ireland 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

IE
4.6%
MT
2.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$131,592
MT
$47,907

Ireland 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

IE
83.0 yrs
MT
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IE
3.4
MT
4.7

Ireland generally does better on family life, though Malta leads in education spending.

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

Weather in Malta vs Ireland

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dublin Rain: 29.8 in/yr (758 mm)
56° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dublin Valletta
Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Dublin Valletta
Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service, Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Can you move from Ireland to Malta?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland 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.

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Malta

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

Malta passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
Malta passport holders can enter Ireland 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 Ireland?

Yes — Malta is on average about 23% cheaper than Ireland. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €12,825 in Malta on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Malta?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Malta has 44.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Malta safe for expats?

Malta performs significantly better than Ireland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Ireland.

How is healthcare in Malta compared to Ireland?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in adult obesity rate. There are 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 38.8 in Ireland. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.

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At a Glance

IE MT
Population 5,484,367 579,704
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages English, Irish English, Maltese
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +353 +356
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112