Moving to Malta from Japan

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Japan to Malta, you would find that Malta is 40.7% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly €95,100 in Malta to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Maltese.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Malta cheaper than Japan?

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

Restaurants

pay 2.4 times more

Groceries

pay 3.5% less

Transportation

pay 5.7% more

Housing

pay 88.8% more

Childcare

pay 13.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 13.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JPY = 0.0056 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.

What salary do you need in Malta?

What does your salary buy?

¥12,000,000 → €95,100

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 45% more than cities in Japan.

Japan

Tokyo ★ 43%
Chiba 40%
Kobe 38%
Saitama 36%
Hiroshima 30%

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 Japan to Malta, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
134 ↑ 116% vs 2015

people born in Japan 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 Japan to Malta.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

JP
0.2
MT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

JP
2.7
MT
1.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

JP
$5,365
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

JP
26.5
MT
45.1

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan 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

JP
12.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JP
7.8t
MT
3.2t

Japan 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

JP
38.6
MT
44.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JP
36.6%
MT
72.6%

Japan 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

JP
2.5%
MT
2.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

JP
$35,951
MT
$47,907

Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Malta leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

JP
84.0 yrs
MT
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JP
1.8
MT
4.7

Japan 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), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Government of Malta - Inland Revenue (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this

Weather in Malta vs Japan

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tokyo Rain: 62.9 in/yr (1598 mm)
69° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tokyo Valletta
Jan–Mar 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Tokyo Valletta
Jan 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency, Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Can you move from Japan to Malta?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.

Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting Malta

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

Malta passport holder visiting Japan

Visa Free
Malta passport holders can enter Japan 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 Japan?

No — Malta is on average about 41% more expensive than Japan. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €23,775 in Malta on a ¥12,000,000 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?

Japan 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 0.2 in Japan.

How is healthcare in Malta compared to Japan?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.

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At a Glance

JP MT
Population 123,366,734 579,704
Currency Japanese Yen (¥) Euro (€)
Languages Japanese English, Maltese
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +81 +356
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110 112