Moving to South Africa from Malta
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malta to South Africa? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malta to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 34.6% cheaper than Malta overall. A €64,304 salary in Malta would need to be roughly ZAR664,297 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Malta and South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → ZAR664,297
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 52.9% less
Groceries
pay 35.3% less
Transportation
pay 4.1% more
Housing
pay 25.9% less
Childcare
pay 61.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.2% less
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 South Africa.
Who's moving to South Africa?
Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.
- 690,243
- 350,463
- 192,008
- 94,119
- 67,382
- 63,892
- · · ·
-
88.408
Malta
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Malta.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malta performs better than South Africa 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 South Africa 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 performs better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Malta generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in water stress level.
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 performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Malta generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
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 | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Valletta | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Meteorological Office
South African Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malta and South Africa. To live, work, or study long-term in South Africa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Africa's immigration authority.
Malta passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Malta
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in South Africa than Malta?
On average South Africa is about 45% less expensive than Malta, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Budget about ZAR166,074 for 3 months in South Africa (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 South Africa?
Connectivity is usually fine (South Africa: 3.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Africa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Malta performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Malta.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Malta?
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 42.8 in Malta. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malta: 85).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Malta?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 72°F in Valletta. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Valletta gets 21.8 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Malta, the official languages are English and Maltese.
Compare further: Malta vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
MT
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 464,186 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Euro (€) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English, Maltese | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +356 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 112 | 10111 |