Moving to Norway from Malta

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Malta to Norway, you would find that Norway is 33.6% more expensive than Malta overall. A €65,700 salary in Malta would need to be roughly NOK833,810 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oslo averages 49°F vs 72°F in Valletta, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 NOK833,810

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 35.9% more

Groceries

pay 37.8% more

Transportation

pay 59.2% more

Housing

pay 40.4% more

Childcare

pay 24.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 77.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 11.17 NOK (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?

Real numbers on people moving from Malta to Norway, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
15 ↑ 25% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Norway?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Malta and Norway 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
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MT
1.9
NO
1.5

Malta generally does better on safety, though Norway leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MT
$5,706
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MT
42.8
NO
51.7

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malta 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
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MT
3.2t
NO
7.2t

Malta generally does better on environment, though Norway 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
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MT
78.3%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than Malta across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MT
3.1%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MT
$57,200
NO
$90,500

Malta generally does better on employment & economy, though Norway leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MT
83.2 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MT
4.5
NO
2.3

Malta generally does better on family life, though Norway leads in infant mortality.

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

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Valletta Oslo
Jan–Mar 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Valletta Oslo
Jan 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Meteorological Office Meteorological Office, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Malta passport

Malta passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Malta

Visa Free
Norway 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 Norway than Malta?

Day-to-day costs in Norway run about 14% higher than Malta on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around NOK208,452 in Norway for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Norway?

With 45.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Norway 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 Norway.

Is Norway safe for expats?

Malta generally does better on safety, though Norway leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Malta.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Malta?

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malta leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 42.8 in Malta. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malta: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 72°F in Valletta. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Valletta gets 21.8 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Malta, the official languages are English and Maltese.

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At a Glance

MT NO
Population 464,186 5,553,840
Currency Euro (€) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages English, Maltese Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +356 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112