Moving to Malta from Netherlands

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Netherlands to Malta, you would find that Malta is 26.1% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €67,000 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly €49,500 in Malta to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Maltese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Valletta averages 72°F vs 56°F in Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Malta cheaper than Netherlands?

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

Restaurants

pay 22.8% less

Groceries

pay 7.0% less

Transportation

pay 41.4% less

Housing

pay 27.5% less

Childcare

pay 57.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 21.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Malta?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → €49,500

To maintain the same standard of living in Malta

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 Malta cost about 17% less than cities in Netherlands.

Netherlands

Rotterdam 68%
Arnhem 63%

Malta

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

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
1,282 ↑ 118% vs 2015

people born in Netherlands live in Malta · UN DESA

Who's moving to Malta?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Netherlands to Malta.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NL
0.7
MT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NL
3.4
MT
1.9

Malta performs significantly better than Netherlands across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NL
$8,195
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NL
38.8
MT
45.1

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NL
13.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
MT
3.2t

Netherlands generally does better on environment, though Malta leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NL
43.0
MT
44.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NL
16.7%
MT
72.6%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NL
3.9%
MT
2.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$73,684
MT
$47,907

Netherlands 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

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
MT
4.7

Netherlands 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), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016), Government of Malta - Inland Revenue (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Malta vs Netherlands

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Valletta
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Valletta
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Can you move from Netherlands to Malta?

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

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Malta

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

Malta passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Malta passport holders can enter Netherlands 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 Malta than Netherlands?

Yes — Malta is on average about 26% cheaper than Netherlands. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €12,375 in Malta on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Malta?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Malta has 44.5 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 Malta safe for expats?

Malta performs significantly better than Netherlands across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Netherlands.

How is healthcare in Malta compared to Netherlands?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in health coverage index. There are 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 38.8 in Netherlands. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL MT
Population 18,087,633 579,704
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Dutch English, Maltese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +31 +356
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112