Moving to Estonia from Malta
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malta to Estonia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malta to Estonia, you would find that Estonia is 6.1% cheaper than Malta overall. A €64,304 salary in Malta would need to be roughly €50,102 in Estonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Estonian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tallinn averages 48°F vs 72°F in Valletta, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Malta and Estonia.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → €50,102
To maintain the same standard of living in Estonia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 0.5% more
Groceries
pay 20.8% less
Transportation
pay 9.2% less
Housing
pay 12.7% more
Childcare
pay 33.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.1% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Malta to Estonia.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Estonia compared to Malta.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malta performs better than Estonia 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Estonia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malta generally does better on environment, though Estonia 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
Estonia generally does better on infrastructure, though Malta leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Malta generally does better on employment & economy, though Estonia 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
Estonia generally does better on family life, though Malta leads in life expectancy.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Valletta | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) | 31°/21°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) | 57°/41°F (14°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) | 65°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) | 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Valletta | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.4°/-6.6°C) |
| Feb | 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.8°/-7.5°C) |
| Mar | 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) | 36°/24°F (2.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) | 47°/32°F (8.2°/0.1°C) |
| May | 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) | 59°/41°F (14.9°/5.0°C) |
| Jun | 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) | 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.7°C) |
| Jul | 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.1°C) |
| Aug | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) | 68°/53°F (19.9°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) | 58°/45°F (14.5°/7.2°C) |
| Oct | 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) | 48°/38°F (9.1°/3.3°C) |
| Nov | 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) | 38°/30°F (3.3°/-1.2°C) |
| Dec | 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.6°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Office,
Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malta and Estonia. To live, work, or study long-term in Estonia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Estonia's immigration authority.
Malta passport holder visiting Estonia
Visa Free
Estonia passport holder visiting Malta
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 Estonia than Malta?
On average Estonia is about 22% less expensive than Malta, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Estonia?
Budget about €12,526 for 3 months in Estonia (based on a €64,304 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Estonia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Estonia: 40.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Estonia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Estonia safe for expats?
Malta performs better than Estonia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Estonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Malta.
How is healthcare in Estonia compared to Malta?
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Estonia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Estonia, compared to 42.8 in Malta. Estonia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malta: 85).
What's the weather like in Estonia compared to Malta?
The average high temperature in Tallinn is 48°F, compared to 72°F in Valletta. Tallinn receives around 27.3 in of rainfall per year, while Valletta gets 21.8 in.
What language do they speak in Estonia?
The official language in Estonia is Estonian. In Malta, the official languages are English and Maltese.
