Moving to Malta from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Spain to Malta? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Spain to Malta, you would find that Malta is 9.9% more expensive than Spain overall. A €64,304 salary in Spain would need to be roughly €69,750 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.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Spain and Malta.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 €69,750

To maintain the same standard of living in Malta

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.1% more

Groceries

pay 9.2% more

Transportation

pay 2.9% more

Housing

pay 9.2% more

Childcare

pay 10.6% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 18.5% more

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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Spain to Malta.

Living there in 2020
453 ↑ 117% vs 2015

people born in Spain 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

The numbers behind daily life in Malta compared to Spain.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

ES
3.5
MT
1.9

Malta performs significantly better than Spain across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ES
$4,935
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
MT
42.8

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malta leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ES
10.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
MT
3.2t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ES
36.0
MT
43.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
MT
78.3%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
MT
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
MT
$57,200

Malta performs significantly better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
MT
4.5

Spain generally does better on family life, though Malta leads in life expectancy.

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Valletta
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Valletta
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Malta

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

Malta passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Malta passport holders can enter Spain 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 Spain?

On average Malta is around 8% pricier than Spain, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

Budget about €17,438 for 3 months in Malta (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 Malta?

Connectivity is usually fine (Malta: 43.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malta offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Malta safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Malta compared to Spain?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malta leads in suicide rate. There are 42.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES MT
Population 47,163,418 464,186
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish English, Maltese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +34 +356
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 112