Moving to Malta from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Malta — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Malta, you would find that Malta is 26.1% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €49,300 in Malta to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Valletta averages 72°F vs 62°F in New York City, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Malta cheaper than United States?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 7.4% less
Groceries
pay 24.7% less
Transportation
pay 6.1% less
Housing
pay 35.9% less
Childcare
pay 68.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.0% 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?
$75,000 → €49,300
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 39% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Malta, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States 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 United States 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 States leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States generally does better on environment, though Malta leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 States 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 States generally does better on employment & economy, though Malta leads in unemployment 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
Malta generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Government of Malta - Inland Revenue (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in Malta vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) |
National Weather Service
Meteorological OfficeCan you move from United States to Malta?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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 States passport holder visiting Malta
Visa Free
Malta passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 States?
Generally yes: Malta runs about 26% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €12,325 in Malta for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Malta?
With 44.5 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 United States and Malta.
Is Malta safe for expats?
Malta performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malta is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in Malta compared to United States?
Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index. There are 45.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Malta, compared to 36.8 in United States. Malta scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Malta compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Valletta is 72°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Valletta receives around 21.8 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Malta?
The official languages in Malta are English and Maltese. In United States, the official language is English.
