Moving to Malta from Turkey

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkey to Malta, you would find that Malta is 72.2% more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,700,000 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly €115,000 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.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Malta cheaper than Turkey?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 98.2% more

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 4.4% more

Housing

pay 2.4 times more

Childcare

pay 34.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 34.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 0.018 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?

TRY3,700,000 → €115,000

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 21% more than cities in Turkey.

Turkey

Fethiye 59%
Istanbul 53%
Antalya 43%
Izmir 42%

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?

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

Living there in 2020
692 ↑ 118% vs 2015

people born in Turkey 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 Turkey.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

TR
3.2
MT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TR
6.5
MT
1.9

Malta performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TR
$1,769
MT
$5,706
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

TR
22.4
MT
45.1

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malta leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

TR
39.0
MT
21.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
MT
3.2t

Malta performs significantly better than Turkey across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TR
23.4
MT
44.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
47.9%
MT
72.6%

Malta generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkey leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
8.5%
MT
2.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$18,599
MT
$47,907

Turkey 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

TR
77.4 yrs
MT
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
8.0
MT
4.7

Malta generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in literacy rate.

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

Weather in Malta vs Turkey

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Istanbul Rain: 26.7 in/yr (678 mm)
65° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Istanbul Valletta
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) 60°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) 74°/59°F (23°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 85°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) 69°/57°F (20°/14°C)
View all months
Month Istanbul Valletta
Jan 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C)
Feb 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C)
Mar 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C)
Apr 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C)
May 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C)
Jun 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C)
Jul 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C)
Aug 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C)
Sep 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C)
Oct 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C)
Nov 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C)
Dec 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, Meteorological Office Meteorological Office

Can you move from Turkey to Malta?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Malta

Visa Required
Turkey passport holders need a visa to enter Malta.
Malta passport

Malta passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
Malta passport holders can enter Turkey 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 Turkey?

On average Malta is around 72% pricier than Turkey, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Malta?

Budget about €28,750 for 3 months in Malta (based on a TRY3,700,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Malta?

Connectivity is usually fine (Malta: 44.5 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 Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 in Turkey.

How is healthcare in Malta compared to Turkey?

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malta leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 22.4 in Turkey. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 65°F in Istanbul. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Istanbul gets 26.7 in.

What language do they speak in Malta?

The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR MT
Population 85,878,556 579,704
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Euro (€)
Languages Turkish English, Maltese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +90 +356
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112