Moving to New Zealand from Malta

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Malta to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 1.5% more expensive than Malta overall. A €67,000 salary in Malta would need to be roughly NZ$135,000 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle.

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

Is New Zealand cheaper than Malta?

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

Restaurants

pay 20.3% less

Groceries

pay 2.0% more

Transportation

pay 18.5% more

Housing

pay 6.7% less

Childcare

pay 86.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (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 New Zealand?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → NZ$135,000

To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand

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 New Zealand cost about 11% less than cities in Malta.

Malta

Gzira 59%
Mosta 57%
Msida 57%
San Gwann 52%
Gozo 52%

New Zealand

Tauranga 52%
Auckland 52%
Nelson 48%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to New Zealand

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Malta to New Zealand, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
6 ↓ 33% vs 2022

people moved from Malta to New Zealand · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to New Zealand?

Top countries of origin for New Zealand's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Malta to New Zealand.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MT
0.6
NZ
1.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MT
1.9
NZ
6.6

Malta performs better than New Zealand across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

MT
$5,706
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MT
45.1
NZ
36.1

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand 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
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MT
3.2t
NZ
6.0t

Malta generally does better on environment, though New Zealand leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MT
44.5
NZ
38.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MT
72.6%
NZ
8.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MT
2.9%
NZ
5.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MT
$47,907
NZ
$49,591

New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Malta leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

MT
83.0 yrs
NZ
82.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MT
4.7
NZ
4.0

New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Malta leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Government of Malta - Inland Revenue (2016), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in New Zealand vs Malta

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Auckland Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
66° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Valletta Auckland
Jan–Mar 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) 74°/61°F (23°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) 63°/51°F (18°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) 60°/47°F (15°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) 67°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Valletta Auckland
Jan 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C)
Feb 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C)
Mar 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C)
Apr 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C)
May 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C)
Jun 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C)
Jul 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C)
Aug 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C)
Sep 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C)
Oct 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C)
Nov 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C)
Dec 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C)

Data: Meteorological Office Meteorological Office, New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Can you move from Malta to New Zealand?

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

Malta passport

Malta passport holder visiting New Zealand

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Malta passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter New Zealand.
New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Malta

Visa Free
New Zealand passport holders can enter Malta 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 New Zealand than Malta?

Costs in New Zealand and Malta are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NZ$33,750 in New Zealand on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from New Zealand?

Internet is rarely the blocker — New Zealand has 38.0 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 New Zealand safe for expats?

Malta performs better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Malta.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Malta?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 45.1 in Malta. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malta: 85).

What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Malta?

The average high temperature in Auckland is 66°F, compared to 72°F in Valletta. Auckland receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Valletta gets 21.8 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Malta, the official languages are English and Maltese.

Share this

At a Glance

MT NZ
Population 579,704 5,324,700
Currency Euro (€) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages English, Maltese English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +356 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 112 111