Moving to Iceland from Malta
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Malta to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Malta to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 74.7% more expensive than Malta overall. A €67,000 salary in Malta would need to be roughly ISK15,900,000 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 72°F in Valletta, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iceland cheaper than Malta?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 72.6% more
Groceries
pay 54.5% more
Transportation
pay 65.1% more
Housing
pay 78.6% more
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 92.0% 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.
What salary do you need in Iceland?
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → ISK15,900,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Iceland
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Malta to Iceland, based on official data.
Who's moving to Iceland?
Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents.
- 21,102
- 3,918
- 3,171
- 2,604
- 2,357
- 2,284
- · · ·
-
119.9
Malta
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Malta to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malta performs better than Iceland 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
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index.
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 Iceland 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
Iceland 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
share of people below the poverty line
Malta generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in gdp per capita.
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
Iceland generally does better on family life, though Malta leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Government of Malta - Inland Revenue (2016), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Iceland vs Malta
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Valletta | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Valletta | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Office,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Can you move from Malta to Iceland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malta and Iceland. To live, work, or study long-term in Iceland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iceland's immigration authority.
Malta passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland 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 Iceland than Malta?
No — Iceland is on average about 75% more expensive than Malta. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK3,975,000 in Iceland on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Iceland has 37.5 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 Iceland safe for expats?
Malta performs better than Iceland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Malta.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Malta?
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index. There are 43.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 45.1 in Malta. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malta: 85).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Malta?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 72°F in Valletta. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Valletta gets 21.8 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Malta, the official languages are English and Maltese.
