Moving to Malta from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Malta? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Malta, you would find that Malta is 3.8% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED280,000 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly €71,000 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Valletta averages 72°F vs 91°F in Dubai, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Malta cheaper than United Arab Emirates?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 92.2% more
Groceries
pay 40.6% more
Transportation
pay 17.3% more
Housing
pay 22.7% less
Childcare
pay 5.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.6% less
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?
AED280,000 → €71,000
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 13% more than cities in United Arab Emirates.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Malta
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United Arab Emirates to Malta.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malta compared to United Arab Emirates.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malta performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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
share of people below the poverty line
United Arab Emirates generally does better on employment & economy, though Malta leads in poverty 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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on family life, though Malta leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2003–2021), Ministry of Finance (2016), Government of Malta - Inland Revenue (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Malta vs United Arab Emirates
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dubai | Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 104°/83°F (40°/28°C) | 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dubai | Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/57°F (24.0°/13.7°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) |
| Feb | 76°/58°F (24.6°/14.5°C) | 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) |
| Apr | 90°/68°F (32.4°/20.1°C) | 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) |
| May | 98°/74°F (36.8°/23.5°C) | 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) |
| Jun | 102°/79°F (38.8°/26.1°C) | 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) |
| Jul | 105°/84°F (40.6°/28.9°C) | 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 105°/85°F (40.4°/29.3°C) | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) |
| Sep | 102°/79°F (38.7°/26.3°C) | 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) |
| Oct | 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.7°C) | 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) |
| Nov | 87°/65°F (30.5°/18.3°C) | 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.4°C) | 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Office
Can you move from United Arab Emirates to Malta?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Malta
Visa Free
Malta passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa FreeData: 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 United Arab Emirates?
On average Malta is around 4% pricier than United Arab Emirates, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Malta?
Budget about €17,750 for 3 months in Malta (based on a AED280,000 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 United Arab Emirates across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Malta compared to United Arab Emirates?
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 29.9 in United Arab Emirates. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Malta compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 91°F in Dubai. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while Dubai gets 3.7 in.
What language do they speak in Malta?
The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
