Moving to Malta The Gem of the Med

Relocating to Malta is an easy process that will change your life.

We will assist you and help you on every step to see that you are of to a great start on our island.

Malta is a vibrant, colourful and cosmopolite island located in the middle of the Mediterranean. Many great civilisations such as the Phoenicians, The French, Templars, and the British empire has at some point captured or colonised the islands which today shows in a bursting nation with a multicultural past and a dynamic present.

How to get to Malta Ship or plane, your choice

Air travel

There are so many airlines trafficking Malta so we just mention the national carrier Air Malta.

However on MIA’s (Malta international airport) website you will find all you need. A quick search at Momondo or Skyscanner will also give you a fair understanding on how easy it is to travel back and forth to Malta.

By boat

Virtu ferries – This ferry company operates a daily route to Sicily (Pozallo) from Malta on top modern large catamarans.
Ponte ferries – Offers a similar service as Virtu (Augusta, Sicily) but usually at a lower cost.

The Maltese economy On the forefront of modern fintech

The country of Malta has experienced tremendous growth for nearly two decades. This mainly started after the country joined the EU European Union and became a member state, making it a breeze for goods and people to cross borders. Today’s Malta is best known for being at the forefront in digital innovation within iGaming(regulated online gambling), FinTechand is also known as the blockchain island after the government’s latest efforts to regulate this new exciting industry which many believe is the future of financial transactions and the potential death of high street banks as we know them today.

Malta & iGaming Europe's iGaming capital

Malta started its journey to become the top iGaming jurisdiction in 2002 when it launched their EU gaming license which makes it possible for foreign companies to relocate to Malta and start offering their iGaming services to the countries that are included in the European Union. Having this said is Malta the best alternative for a company that wants to provide iGaming services to EU member states. Many companies also have additional licenses that make it possible to offer services in the UK, Sweden, Spain, Italy, and Canada, which have national licenses. Apart from this, we also benefit from the fact that Malta’s taxes are pretty low compared to other European countries. The friendly Maltese people speak English, and we can enjoy over 300 days of sun each year and a mild winter climate.

Life in Malta All but a dull, slow-paced island

Living in Malta is an experience like no other. On this small island where west meets east, you’ll see limestone houses of character alongside modern high-rise block of flats, at the same time tailors and tech firms being door-to-door. During a walk alongside the famous “The strand”, will you hear more languages than you can count. The Maltese public services are offering a high standard, and the healthcare system, in particular, is often praised for being amongst the best in Europe. One must experience this lovely island for him/herself. Still, if you close your eyes and imagine that the UK (United Kingdom) and Italy had a baby together, maybe that would be Malta.

Malta’s weather and climate Shining sun 300+ days a year

The Maltese islands benefit from a climate that offers warm and sunny weather more or less all year round. People from Scandinavia would say that the summer season starts at the end of March and continues until the end of November. During the warmest period in July-August-September, it becomes sweltering, and temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius are average.

Here you can check out some average temperatures.

Malta Weather is the nations trusted weather forecast service. They also have a quirky Facebook page.

News sources in Malta. Get up to date on what's going on locally

In Malta, there are many online resources when it comes to getting to know local and international news. Here are some examples:

Malta Independent– One of the two major newspapers. The newspaper sympathizes with the Nationalist party (major conservative right-wing party).
Times of Malta– The second major newspaper, also supporting the Nationalist party.
Malta Today– Another major newspaper which supports the Labour party (social democrats).
Lovin Malta– Non-political webzine, let’s call this a small local version of Buzzfeed.

Getting around You don't need a car

Since Malta is so tiny, the chances are that you won’t need to travel a lot by vehicle. Still, in case you find yourself in a situation you need to go a distance, you have the following alternatives:

Bus/Boat

Malta Public Transport– by far the cheapest way to get around the islands. Buses are plenty but don’t necessarily arrive in time. Skip checking the timetable and just head over to a bus stop, and, a bus will soon show up.

Taxi

Bolt(formerly known as Taxify) – An Estonian Uber-copycat that has taken Malta by storm. Download the app, chose your location and a cab will soon show up and take you wherever you want (cheap). They also have several of electric scooters all over the island.
eCabs– the major taxi company in Malta. These guys have been around for 10+ years and have a massive fleet of Black Peugeot cars. Same thing here, download the app, and you’ll soon be on your way (also cheap).
Cool – A new ride-sharing app that lets you stop a cab and go anywhere for a low cost, as long as you don’t mind sharing the car with other riders,
White Taxi Union – Avoid these at all costs. These cabs usually are older, don’t have fixed rates and may try to rip you off.

Car hire in Malta

GoTo – Easy to use car rental app where you pick up an electric car or scooter on the street and only pay for the time you use it.
Goldcar – one of the largest car hire companies in Malta.
Avis – you probably already heard of them.
Hertz – same goes for them.

Bicycle

NextBike – Whilst biking in Malta isn’t for the faint-hearted you can still pick up a bike in almost all localities over the island and leave it in another. Just pay for the time you use it.
Tallinja bike – even the governments public transport has a similar setup as Nextbike.

Decorating your home Take in the ocean breeze

You’ll most likely end up renting a furnished flat but, maybe you still want to add some colour, fabrics or a beautiful piece of furniture to make it yours and cosy. There are tons of places where you can get these. Here are some examples we can vouch for:

JYSK– well-known in Scandinavia and recently opened in Malta. They offer low-price fabrics, pillows, outdoor furniture as well as smaller furniture items. Similar to IKEA.
JB Home – the go-to shops when it comes to fabrics. If you don’t find your materials here, you won’t find it anywhere else.
The atrium– a large furniture store divided into 4 floors (and a nice café on top) where you will find everything from lightning, kitchen utensils and large furniture.
HomeMate– massive building packed with accessories and things for your home.
Maltapark– reuse, re-sell, re-invent. Here you can find tons of second-hand items ranging from cars down to, well anything. Scandinavians will find this similar to Blocket.
Megastore– travels to Sicily and buys furniture from Ikea, sportswear from Decathlon or electronics from MediaMarkt and brings it right to your door.
Amazon.de – Buying electronics is mostly cheaper online and the German Amazon portal is quick and reliable and will most likely save you a fair deal of money (It’s now also available in English). Avoid Amazon UK as Brexit has affected the prices and you will need to pay for currency exchange..

Finding an apartment in Malta Easy peasy lemon squeezy

How does it work?

There are more estate agents in Malta than there are cars. Well, not really, but you get what we mean. There are tons and tons of letting agents that will help you find your perfect place to call home.

So, what’s the process?

You contact a rental estate company and let them know about what areas you’d like to live in, how many bedrooms, budget and any other requirements you may have (pet-friendly, non-smoker etc.). An agent will call you and send over some available properties right now, and if you want, you can both go and view them together. As soon as you find what you like, you sign a contract with the landlord, pay one month’s rent in deposit, pay for the first-month ’s rent and then you’re ready to move in! Simple as pie.

Tips when searching for a property

Never sign a lease on a property you haven’t viewed.
Check water pressure – is it ok? Is the geezer big enough to take a nice long shower?
Are there enough pillows, quilts, plates, glasses, etc.? Ask the landlord to buy more before moving in.
Are there any construction projects nearby that may wake you up in the morning?
Haggle! You can often get €100- 50 off each month if you show that you want to sign but want a better deal.
Is the utility bills “residential” or “domestic”? Make sure that the tariffs are residential and not domestic to avoid paying more than needed.

Well-known real estate agencies in Malta.

ReMax– a large corporation that’s the biggest in Malta and that has many offices around the world.

Frank Salt– large but local real estate company. Trusted by many throughout the years.

QuckLets– A newcomer that strives to be more agile than its competition

Bonus: Do you want to share an apartment?

Flatmate is a new site that lets you team up with others to find a place together. This might be a great way to start your time in Malta as you get to know new people immediately and at the same time keep costs down. Why not try it out?

You contact a rental estate company and let them know about what areas you’d like to live in, how many bedrooms, budget and any other requirements you may have (pet-friendly, non-smoker etc.). An agent will call you and send over some properties that are available right now, and if you want, you can both go and view them together. As soon as you find what you like you sign a contract with the landlord, pay one month’s rent in deposit, pay for the first-month ‘s rent and then you’re ready to move in! Simple as pie.

Tips when searching for a property

Never sign a lease on a property you haven’t viewed.
Check water pressure – is it ok? Is the geezer big enough to take a nice long shower?
Are there enough pillows, quilts, plates, glasses, etc.? Ask the landlord to buy more before moving in.
Are there any construction projects nearby that may wake you up in the morning?
Haggle! You can often get €100- 50 off each month if you show that you want to sign but want a better deal.
Is the utility bills “residential” or “domestic”? Make sure that the tariffs are residential and not domestic to avoid paying more than needed.

Opening a bank account in Malta. Traditional or innovative banking?

With stricter laws and regulations within the European Union Malta is no exemption. Now opening a bank account requires a quite rigorous process where you will need the following documents:

The main banks in Malta are:

Bank of Valletta (The national bank)

HSBC (Enormous British-Hong Kong bank)

BNF Bank (A Portuguese banking chain)

APS Bank (The national church bank)

Revolut (Highly popular)