Moving to Ecuador from Malta

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Malta to Ecuador, you would find that Ecuador is 40.8% cheaper than Malta overall. A €65,577 salary in Malta would need to be roughly $39,309 in Ecuador to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 $39,309

To maintain the same standard of living in Ecuador

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 60.8% less

Groceries

pay 36.8% less

Transportation

pay 33.7% less

Housing

pay 51.6% less

Childcare

pay 49.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 32.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.14 USD (July 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MT
0.6
EC
27.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MT
1.9
EC
23.4

Malta performs better than Ecuador across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MT
$5,706
EC
$1,238
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MT
42.8
EC
23.1

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ecuador 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

MT
21.0
EC
23.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MT
3.2t
EC
2.6t

Malta generally does better on environment, though Ecuador 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

MT
43.0
EC
15.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MT
78.3%
EC
6.8%

Malta generally does better on infrastructure, though Ecuador leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MT
3.1%
EC
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MT
$57,200
EC
$14,300

Malta performs better than Ecuador across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MT
83.2 yrs
EC
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MT
4.5
EC
18.1

Malta performs better than Ecuador across all family life metrics.

Data: Government of Malta - Inland Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Quito Rain: 43.2 in/yr (1098 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Valletta Quito
Jan–Mar 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) 70°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) 70°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) 72°/49°F (22°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) 70°/49°F (21°/10°C)
View all months
Month Valletta Quito
Jan 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C)
Feb 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C)
Mar 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C)
Apr 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C)
May 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C)
Jun 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C)
Jul 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C)
Aug 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C)
Sep 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C)
Oct 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C)
Nov 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C)
Dec 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C)

Data: Meteorological Office Meteorological Office, Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malta and Ecuador. To live, work, or study long-term in Ecuador, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ecuador's immigration authority.

Malta passport

Malta passport holder visiting Ecuador

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

Ecuador passport holder visiting Malta

Visa Required
Ecuador passport holders need a visa to enter Malta.

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 Ecuador than Malta?

Generally yes: Ecuador runs about 48% cheaper than Malta on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Ecuador?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around $9,827 in Ecuador for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ecuador?

With 15.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ecuador can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Malta and Ecuador.

Is Ecuador safe for expats?

Malta performs better than Ecuador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ecuador is 27.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Malta.

How is healthcare in Ecuador compared to Malta?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ecuador leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ecuador, compared to 42.8 in Malta. Ecuador scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malta: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Quito is 71°F, compared to 72°F in Valletta. Quito receives around 43.2 in of rainfall per year, while Valletta gets 21.8 in.

What language do they speak in Ecuador?

The official language in Ecuador is Spanish. In Malta, the official languages are English and Maltese.

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At a Glance

MT EC
Population 464,186 17,289,554
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English, Maltese Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +356 +593
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 911