Moving to Malta from Sweden

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Sweden to Malta, you would find that Malta is 2.2% more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK740,000 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly €67,900 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 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Malta cheaper than Sweden?

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

Restaurants

pay 11.2% more

Groceries

pay 9.9% less

Transportation

pay 24.6% less

Housing

pay 23.5% more

Childcare

pay 75.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 21.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SEK = 0.0898 EUR (October 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.

What salary do you need in Malta?

What does your salary buy?

SEK740,000 → €67,900

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 8% more than cities in Sweden.

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 Sweden to Malta, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
1,403 ↑ 118% vs 2015

people born in Sweden 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 Sweden to Malta.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

SE
1.1
MT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SE
2.1
MT
1.9

Malta performs significantly better than Sweden across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SE
$7,770
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SE
44.1
MT
45.1

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden 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

SE
8.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
MT
3.2t

Sweden 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

SE
40.6
MT
44.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
MT
72.6%

Sweden 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

SE
8.7%
MT
2.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$63,133
MT
$47,907

Sweden 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

SE
84.1 yrs
MT
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.0
MT
4.7

Sweden performs better than Malta across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Skatteverket (2016), Government of Malta - Inland Revenue (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Malta vs Sweden

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Valletta
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Valletta
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Can you move from Sweden to Malta?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Malta

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

Malta passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Free
Malta passport holders can enter Sweden 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 Sweden?

Costs in Malta and Sweden are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €16,975 in Malta on a SEK740,000 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 Sweden across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.

How is healthcare in Malta compared to Sweden?

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in health coverage index. There are 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 44.1 in Sweden. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.

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At a Glance

SE MT
Population 10,596,620 579,704
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) Euro (€)
Languages Swedish English, Maltese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +46 +356
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112