Moving to Malta from Jamaica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Jamaica to Malta? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Jamaica to Malta, you would find that Malta is 71.1% more expensive than Jamaica overall. A JMD11,862,496 salary in Jamaica would need to be roughly €83,534 in Malta to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Valletta averages 72°F vs 89°F in Kingston, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Jamaica and Malta.
What does your salary buy?
JMD11,862,496 → €83,534
To maintain the same standard of living in Malta
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.0 times more
Groceries
pay 14.3% less
Transportation
pay 6.0% less
Housing
pay 53.6% more
Childcare
pay 3.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.5% more
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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malta compared to Jamaica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malta performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Jamaica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malta leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Jamaica generally does better on environment, though Malta leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Malta generally does better on infrastructure, though Jamaica leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Malta generally does better on employment & economy, though Jamaica leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Malta generally does better on family life, though Jamaica leads in education spending.
Data: Tax Admministration of Jamaica, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kingston | Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/70°F (30°/21°C) | 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) | 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) | 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kingston | Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) |
| Feb | 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C) | 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C) | 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) |
| Apr | 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C) | 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) |
| May | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C) | 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) |
| Jun | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C) | 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) |
| Jul | 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C) | 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C) | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) |
| Sep | 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C) | 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C) | 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) |
| Nov | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C) | 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) |
| Dec | 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C) | 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service, Jamaica,
Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jamaica 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.
Jamaica passport holder visiting Malta
Visa Required
Malta passport holder visiting Jamaica
Visa FreeData: 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 Jamaica?
On average Malta is around 27% pricier than Jamaica, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Malta?
Budget about €20,884 for 3 months in Malta (based on a JMD11,862,496 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: 43.0 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 Jamaica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 53.3 in Jamaica.
How is healthcare in Malta compared to Jamaica?
Jamaica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malta leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 42.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 5.5 in Jamaica. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Jamaica: 74).
What's the weather like in Malta compared to Jamaica?
The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 89°F in Kingston. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Kingston gets 32.0 in.
What language do they speak in Malta?
The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Jamaica, the official languages are English and Jamaican Patois.
