Malta
Nomad Residence Permit · Valletta
The easiest-to-live English-speaking corner of the Schengen zone, with a clean 10% flat tax — if you can accept island prices and density.
€3,500/mo
30–45 days
1 year
80/100
130 Mbps
Very high
Hot Mediterranean
UTC+1
Model your move to Malta
Set who's coming and what you earn. We'll handle eligibility, taxes, contributions, living costs and what you'd have left — and compare it to home.
Staying more than ~183 days?
Affects tax residency for territorial & exempt regimes.
Your monthly life in Malta
Pre-filled with typical costs in Sliema. Drag or type to match your life.
A nice place in a popular area
Power, water, gas
Home fibre + data
Food at home
Transit, rideshare, fuel
Private cover nomads usually need
Eating out, coffee, going out
Shopping, gym, subscriptions, misc.
You meet the income requirement
Needs $3,815/mo.
Your qualifying income
$6,000
$5,400
$2,414
$2,986
Tax in Malta
Effective rate
10.0%
- Income tax / mo
- $600
- Social security / mo
- Not charged
- Total deductions / mo
- $600
- Take-home / mo
- $5,400
Typically covered by your home country under a totalization agreement, so €0 locally.
Private health insurance isn't required for this visa, but most nomads carry it — it's already counted in your living costs above.
A dedicated 10% flat rate applies to the nomad permit's qualifying income; first-year income is exempt.
vs. United States
Tax
22.8% at home → 10.0% here
Same lifestyle costs
$4,162 at home → $2,414 here
Money left over
$471 at home → $2,986 here
Estimates for planning only — actual tax depends on treaties, your residency and personal circumstances. Confirm with official sources and a qualified advisor before you move.
What it takes to qualify
Income & savings
- Monthly income (single)
- €3,500
- Basis
- ≈€42,000 gross per year
- Combine two incomes?
- No — main applicant only
Family members are added by showing adequate resources, not a fixed top-up.
The visa
- Program
- Nomad Residence Permit
- Introduced
- 2021
- Duration
- 1 year, renewable
- Max total stay
- 4 years
- Fees
- $350 (approx)
- Who can apply
- Employees, Freelancers, Business owners
- Bring family?
- Yes
- Schengen access
- Yes
€300 per applicant plus residence-card fee. Renewable yearly up to four years total.
What you'll actually pay
Income tax
- Treatment
- Foreign income can be taxed
- Headline rate
- 10%
- Tax residency at
- 183 days
- Employee social
- Usually home-covered
A dedicated 10% flat rate applies to the nomad permit's qualifying income; first-year income is exempt.
Good news
There's effectively no local income tax to worry about on your foreign earnings here.
Reviewed Source: Residency Malta
Path to residency & citizenship
This is a lifestyle visa: great for living here now, but time on it doesn't count toward permanent residency or a passport.
The permit does not lead to residency or citizenship by itself.
Reviewed Source: Residency Malta
Typical costs in Sliema
Rent (1-bed)
$1,300
Rent (family)
$2,000
Groceries / person
$320
Utilities
$130
Internet
$35
Transport / person
$30
Health insurance
$60
Dining / person
$280
Cost index 58/100 vs New York · prices are about 70% of US levels (PPP). Monthly figures shown in USD.
Highlights & watch-outs
What makes it great
- English is an official language — zero language friction.
- A clear 10% flat tax on qualifying income.
- Tiny, safe, sun-soaked and very connected.
What to watch
- Crowded and pricey for its size.
- No residency or citizenship track.
Reviewed Source: Residency Malta
Compare Malta
Head-to-head with similar destinations.
Moving to Malta from…
See the tax & cost picture for your home country.