Moving to New Zealand from Malta

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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 18.4% more expensive than Malta overall. A €65,577 salary in Malta would need to be roughly NZ$116,291 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 72°F in Valletta, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Malta to New Zealand.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 NZ$116,291

To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 7.6% less

Groceries

pay 10.5% more

Transportation

pay 38.1% more

Housing

pay 8.3% more

Childcare

pay 35.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 56.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.96 NZD (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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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 United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MT
0.6
NZ
1.1
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 United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MT
42.8
NZ
35.7

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 United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MT
43.0
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MT
78.3%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Malta leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MT
3.1%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MT
$57,200
NZ
$48,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MT
83.2 yrs
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MT
4.5
NZ
3.4

New Zealand 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Wellington Rain: 37.7 in/yr (957 mm)
62° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Valletta Wellington
Jan–Mar 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Valletta Wellington
Jan 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

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?

Yes — New Zealand is on average about 9% cheaper than Malta. City-level variation can be significant.

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

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NZ$29,073 in New Zealand on a €65,577 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 35.9 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 1.1 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 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 42.8 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 Wellington is 62°F, compared to 72°F in Valletta. Wellington receives around 37.7 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.

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At a Glance

MT NZ
Population 464,186 5,053,004
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