Moving to Malta from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Saudi Arabia to Malta — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Malta, you would find that Malta is 67.4% more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,786 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly €91,711 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 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Saudi Arabia to Malta.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,786 → €91,711
To maintain the same standard of living in Malta
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.4 times more
Groceries
pay 38.6% more
Transportation
pay 48.5% more
Housing
pay 66.4% more
Childcare
pay 43.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.1% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to Malta
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?
Real numbers on people moving from Saudi Arabia to Malta, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Saudi Arabia and Malta stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malta performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia 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 significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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
share of households with internet
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Malta leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Saudi Arabia leads in top income tax rate.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on family life, though Malta leads in life expectancy.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Malta
Visa Required
Malta passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Saudi Arabia?
Day-to-day costs in Malta run about 40% higher than Saudi Arabia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Malta?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a SAR281,786 comparable salary, that's around €22,928 in Malta for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Malta?
With 43.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malta can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Saudi Arabia and Malta.
Is Malta safe for expats?
Malta performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Malta compared to Saudi Arabia?
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 42.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Malta compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Malta?
The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
