Malta

Malta

Southern Europe / Mediterranean

EuropeEUSchengen
79
Overall score
Strong overall · 95% data coverage
Language
English / Maltese
Currency
EUR
Citizenship
5+ years (ordinary route; discretionary)
Personal tax
0–35% (remittance basis for non-doms)
Cost of living
€1,600 / mo (single)
Overall scoring rubric
87
Access

How easy it is to get in, stay, and build status.

17% of Overall
91Residence12%
76Citizenship and passport5%
78
Earning power

How far local income goes after prices.

25% of Overall
76Salary and work12%
79Buying power13%
69
Business and wealth

How friendly the country is for taxes, companies, and investing.

20% of Overall
80Taxes7%
68Business8%
55Investment5%
84
Daily life

How comfortable everyday life is for families and long stays.

25% of Overall
84Quality of life18%
84Education7%
80
Rights and institutions

How reliable freedoms and institutions are.

13% of Overall
90Freedom6%
72Rule of law7%

Safety (79) clears the 40 floor, so no penalty applies.

Healthcare (90) clears the 40 floor, so no penalty applies.

Environment (67) clears the 35 floor, so no penalty applies.

Rights and institutions (80) clears the 30 floor, so no penalty applies.

Overall score
Final weighted result
79

English-speaking EU + Schengen island with a famous corporate-tax-refund system (effective ~5%) and non-dom remittance basis: small, but very business-friendly.

Pros

  • English is official
  • ~5% effective corporate tax via refunds
  • EU + Schengen

Cons

  • High refund-system complexity & substance rules
  • Small island, crowded
  • Slow bureaucracy

Best for

Holding & trading companiesiGaming/fintechNon-dom relocators

Score profile

Access
Residence
91
Citizenship
70
Passport
93
Earning power
Salary & work
76
Buying power
79
Cost of living
58
Economy
90
Business and wealth
Taxes
80
Personal tax
36
Corporate tax
0
Business
68
Investment
55
Wealth building
68
Daily life
Safety
79
Healthcare
90
Environment
67
Infrastructure
80
Education
84
HDI
92
Rights and institutions
Freedom
90
Rule of law
72

Access

Residence

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any residence / visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Openness to residents
Excellent
91
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines international migrant stock (40%), regulatory quality (20%), the breadth of named residence pathways (25%), and time to permanent residence (15%). Available indicators are reweighted.

Migrant stock37.0% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality0.49 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)Nomad Residence PermitGlobal ResidenceKey Employee
StudentStudent visa; limited work after 90 days of study.
WorkSingle permit / Key Employee Initiative for skilled hires.
Self-employedSelf-employment permit with capital & substance requirements.
PermanentMPRP grants residence via property + government contribution.
Citizenship

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any citizenship decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Citizenship accessibility
Good
70
Years required5+ years ordinary naturalisation (discretionary)
Dual allowedtrue
LanguageMaltese or English knowledge; integration criteria
ResidenceLong legal residence for ordinary naturalisation
NotesThe Court of Justice of the EU ruled Malta's investor-citizenship scheme contrary to EU law on 29 April 2025. Do not treat investment as an available citizenship route.
Passport

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any travel or visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Passport power
Excellent
93

Passport-index style mobility for the Malta passport. The score above is its world reach: the share of 198 destinations reachable without a prior visa.

185 / 198
Mobility
#10
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free139
  • On arrival38
  • eTA8
  • Visa required13

Passport Index style mobility data (2024–2025 estimate). Placeholder figures; verify current entry rules with each destination’s authority before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Good
76
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines output per worker (a proxy for wage potential at 40%), unemployment (35%) and labour-force participation (25%). Available indicators are reweighted; the curated profile fields remain below.

Output per worker$115,955 PPP (2024)
Unemployment2.9% (2025)
Participation64.0% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$2,087 · $2,906 PPP (2020)
Tech (IT & comms)$2,695 · $3,754 PPP (2020)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceStrong iGaming, fintech & blockchain sectors
Job marketEnglish-language workplaces; concentrated in gaming/finance.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
79
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score estimates how far money goes for the typical person here. It combines GNI per capita at PPP (30%) and actual household consumption per person at PPP (15%) with a price-advantage term from the local price level (25%) that rewards lower prices, then adjusts for income equality via the Gini index (20%), so unequal economies don't ride a high average, plus price stability via consumer inflation (10%). Available indicators are reweighted; it is a comparison, not a personal budget estimate.

GNI / person$64,900 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$30,876 PPP (2024)
Price level69 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality31.8 Gini (2023)
Inflation2.4% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Moderate
58

Our 0–100 affordability score is derived from the local consumer price level (World Bank, US = 100): the cheaper everyday prices are, the higher it scores. Lower price level means your money goes further here.

Price level69 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent€900–1,500 (1BR central)
Monthly€1,600
CitiesValletta, Sliema, St Julian's, Gozo
Economy
Economic strength
Excellent
90
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines income level (GDP and GNI per capita, output per worker), growth momentum (real GDP growth), price stability (inflation) and labour utilisation (unemployment). Available indicators are reweighted; the sector split and industry profile below are descriptive, not scored.

Output & income
GDP$27.8B (2025)
GDP / person$47,907 (2025)
GNI / person$64,900 PPP (2025)
GDP growth6.8% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation2.4% / yr (2025)
Unemployment2.9% (2025)
Output per worker$115,955 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture0.5% of GDP (2025)
Industry10.1% of GDP (2025)
Services81.3% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
TourismiGamingFinancial servicesMaritime & logisticsElectronics
Top exports
Electronics & semiconductorsServices (gaming, finance, tourism)Refined fuels
TypeHigh-income, services-led
Key sectorsOnline gaming & fintech, Tourism, Maritime registry
SummaryA small island economy specialised in tourism, online gaming and international financial services.
CurrencyEuro (eurozone member)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Tax friendliness
Excellent
80
Personal0–35% progressive; non-doms taxed on remittance basis
Corporate35% headline; 6/7 refund to shareholders → ~5% effective
Capital gainsForeign gains untaxed for non-doms unless remitted
DividendsFull-imputation system; refunds reduce double taxation
Exit taxCorporate exit tax under ATAD; limited for individuals
Foreign cosCFC rules apply (ATAD)
Personal tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Personal tax
Limited
36
Personal0–35% progressive; non-doms taxed on remittance basis
FreelanceSelf-employed registration; popular for consultants
Capital gainsForeign gains untaxed for non-doms unless remitted
DividendsFull-imputation system; refunds reduce double taxation
Exit taxCorporate exit tax under ATAD; limited for individuals
Corporate tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Corporate tax
Low
0
Corporate35% headline; 6/7 refund to shareholders → ~5% effective
Capital gainsForeign gains untaxed for non-doms unless remitted
DividendsFull-imputation system; refunds reduce double taxation
Foreign cosCFC rules apply (ATAD)
Business
Business friendliness
Good
68
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures the operating environment without counting tax a second time: company formation and ownership rules contribute 40%, regulatory quality 30%, and government effectiveness 30%. Available indicators are reweighted; the values are shown below.

Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality0.49 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness0.62 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign co.Yes: full foreign ownership; major holding hub
Local co.Private LTD; €1,165 min capital (20% paid up)
FreelanceSelf-employed registration; popular for consultants
Investment

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any investment / tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Investing environment
Moderate
55
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures market access without counting tax a second time: broker availability contributes 50%, equity-market depth 30%, and private credit depth 20%. Available indicators are reweighted.

Market cap19% of GDP (2025)
Private credit62% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsNon-doms: foreign gains untaxed unless remitted
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxNone
BrokersGood: EU brokers; established fund industry
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax / investment decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Wealth accumulation
Good
68
How this score is calculated

How favourable Malta is for building wealth: earnings and business/investment upside, tax drag, and how much a typical income keeps after living costs. Estimated from the factors below.

Salary & work
Good
76
Business
Good
68
Investment
Moderate
55
Tax friendliness
Excellent
80
Cost of living
Moderate
58

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Good
79
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines personal safety (intentional homicide rate at 50%), political stability and absence of violence (30%), and control of corruption (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below. Always check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Personal safety
Homicide rate0.6 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption0.27 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.80 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
90
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines health outcomes (life expectancy at 25% and under-5 mortality at 20%) with system capacity (physicians at 20% and hospital beds at 15% per 1,000 people) and health spending per capita (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below.

Outcomes
Life expectancy83.0 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality5.3 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians4.51 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds4.09 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$5,706 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemUniversal public + private
InsurancePublic for contributors; private required for many residence permits
Avg cost€500–1,000 / yr private cover
Environment
Environment score
Good
67
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines annual population-weighted PM2.5 exposure at 60% with freshwater stress at 40%. Lower exposure and lower water stress score better. Air quality alone can produce a score because it covers most countries; water stress alone cannot.

Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure10.8 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress72.6% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
80
How this score is calculated

The score combines digital access, resilience and download performance (30%), electricity access and network losses (30%), and transport infrastructure covering rail, logistics and aviation (40%). Available inputs are reweighted, but a country needs both digital and transport data to receive a score.

Digital infrastructure
Internet use93.9% (2024)
Internet resilience55 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed88 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed74 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses8.3% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality3.70 / 5 (2022)
Air connectivity27,730 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
84
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines attainment (expected schooling at 30% and mean schooling at 25%) with participation (tertiary enrolment at 25%) and public investment (government education spending at 20%). Available indicators are reweighted; tuition and study rules remain separate profile fields below.

Attainment
Expected schooling15.9 years (2023)
Mean schooling12.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment81% gross (2023)
Education spending4.7% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition€1,000 (EU) – €11,000 (non-EU)
Public uniUniversity of Malta low for EU; English-taught
LanguagesEnglish, Maltese
Student workWork permitted after 90 days of study, ~20 hrs/week
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
92
How this score is calculated

The UN Human Development Index is the geometric mean of three dimension indices (a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living), shown on a 0–100 map scale (HDI × 100). The 2023 UNDP inputs behind each dimension are listed below.

HDI0.924 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy83.3 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling15.9 years (2023)
Mean schooling12.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$52,155 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Excellent
90
How this score is calculated

The score weights Freedom House’s 0–100 Freedom in the World score at 60% and its Freedom on the Net score at 40%. If either report does not cover a country, the available score is used alone. Scores of 70 and above are rated “Free”, 40–69 “Partly free”, and below 40 “Not free”.

Freedom in the World90 / 100 (Free)
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Good
72
How this score is calculated

The World Bank’s Rule of Law indicator captures how well contracts are enforced and how independent and effective the courts, police and property-rights regime are. We show its 0–100 percentile rank, where higher means stronger, more predictable institutions.

Rule of Law percentile72 / 100
Resources

Mock data for demonstration only. Not legal or tax advice.