Moving to Malta from Italy

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Italy to Malta, you would find that Malta is 0.7% more expensive than Italy overall. A €64,304 salary in Italy would need to be roughly €68,216 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.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Italy to Malta.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 €68,216

To maintain the same standard of living in Malta

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 0.3% less

Groceries

pay 5.7% less

Transportation

pay 10.9% less

Housing

pay 20.7% more

Childcare

pay 6.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.2% more

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?

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

Living there in 2020
4,720 ↑ 118% vs 2015

people born in Italy 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 Italy to Malta.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IT
0.6
MT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IT
5.0
MT
1.9

Italy generally does better on safety, though Malta leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IT
$4,993
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IT
42.5
MT
42.8

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Italy leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IT
15.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IT
5.1t
MT
3.2t

Italy 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

IT
31.5
MT
43.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IT
29.6%
MT
78.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IT
7.6%
MT
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IT
$52,700
MT
$57,200

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IT
3.2
MT
4.5

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

Data: Italian Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rome Rain: 31.7 in/yr (804 mm)
69° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rome Valletta
Jan–Mar 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Rome Valletta
Jan 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology, Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy 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.

Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting Malta

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

Malta passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
Malta passport holders can enter Italy 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 Italy?

No — Malta is on average about 6% more expensive than Italy. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €17,054 in Malta on a €64,304 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Malta?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Malta has 43.0 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?

Italy generally does better on safety, though Malta leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy.

How is healthcare in Malta compared to Italy?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Italy leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 42.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 42.5 in Italy. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).

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

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.

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At a Glance

IT MT
Population 61,095,551 464,186
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Catalan, Italian English, Maltese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +39 +356
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112