How Much Does it Cost to Move to Malta From the UK in 2026?

The total cost of moving to Malta from the UK is between £7,000 and £15,000. Total Malta moving costs will vary depending on the services you require, the flight you book and the visa you need. 

There are many upfront costs required when moving abroad, so creating and sticking to a budget will help keep things in line. Use our handy cost guide to prepare for all the costs of moving to Malta. 

Breakdown of the Costs of Moving to Malta

Visa and Document Costs

1. Skills Assessment – You’ll need a skills assessment carried out if you’re moving to Malta on a work visa. This is to prove your qualifications and skills are valid. The assessment cost will depend on your profession and can range from €100 to €500 (£85-£425).
   
   
2. Authentication Fees – Important documents will need to be legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) so they are valid in Malta. This costs £45 per document by post.
   
   
3. Mandatory Medical Check – Third-country nationals undergo health screening as part of the work permit process, but two things are worth knowing. First, the screening must be done in Malta, in the private sector; foreign test results and X-rays are not accepted, so this is not a UK pre-departure cost. Second, the chest X-ray for tuberculosis is only required for applicants born in, or who have lived 6+ months in, a high or very-high TB-risk country, which the UK is not, so most British movers will not need it. The baseline requirement is proof of immunity against polio and diphtheria (a booster in Malta if your records are incomplete). For those who do need screening, costs typically run €100 to €300 per cycle. Separately, the Single Permit requires private health insurance with minimum cover of €100,000.
   
   
4. Police Clearance Certificate – You’ll need a police clearance certificate to prove a clean criminal record for a Residency, Work, Investment and Retirement visa. An ACRO Criminal Records Office Police Certificate costs £65 for standard service (up to 10 working days) and £115 for the premium 2-working-day service.
   
   
5. Visa Application Fee – A Single Permit lets a UK national (now a third-country national post-Brexit) work and live in Malta. Following the 2025/2026 fee restructure, Identità now charges around €600 for a first-time Single Permit (about £520), with renewals at €150. Since early 2026 there is also a mandatory pre-departure orientation course costing €250 (about £217) for first-time applicants coming from abroad, which must be completed before you travel. Budget for both.
   
   
6. Visa Assistance –  If you require legal assistance to help with the visa process, you should budget between £100 and £2,000 (roughly €115 to €2,310) depending on the complexity.

Malta Travel and Relocation Costs

1. Flights from the UK to Malta: A one-way flight ticket to Malta from the UK can cost between £50 and £150 (€58-€175). Costs will vary depending on the time of year, class and airline.  
   
   
2. Shipping Your Belongings: It’ll cost £3,015 (€3,490) on average for international shipping costs to Malta. This is the cost of removals for a 3-bedroom home from the UK to Malta.
   
   
3. Rental Deposits & Advance Rent: The average monthly rental cost in Malta is around €900 a month for a one-bedroom nationally, or €1,100–1,500 in sought-after coastal areas like Sliema and St Julian’s,
   
   
4. Health Insurance:  Once you are a resident of Malta, you can access their public healthcare system. Private health insurance is recommended which can cost between €500 and €2,000 (£430-£1,720).
   
   
5. Shipping Your Car: To ship your car to Malta, it’ll cost £1,072 (€1,240). This is the cost to ship a standard saloon car via RoRo services.
   
   
6. Shipping Your Pet: It can cost between £500 and £2,500 (€580-€2,900) to ship your pet to Malta. Small dogs and cats range from £500 to £1,500 (€580-€1,740), while medium to large dogs cost between £1,000 and £2,500 (€1,160-€2,900).

Average Salaries in Malta

The average gross salary in Malta is around €2,150 a month, or roughly €25,000 a year, with the median closer to €1,400 a month. Pay varies by sector rather than by town: financial services, iGaming and technology sit at the top, while hospitality and retail pay less. Malta is small enough to cross in under an hour, so where you live has little bearing on what you earn. The statutory minimum wage rose to about €229 a week in January 2026.

Final Thoughts

Moving to Malta from the UK comes with heavy upfront costs, but if you create a budget and stick to it, it will be manageable. Many British expats view these initial costs as a great investment into their new life abroad. With better weather, shared language and a high quality of life, the benefits often outweigh the initial moving costs for many.

Sticking to a budget will help make your move more manageable. To get started, request a free, tailored quote for the shipping of your items to Malta.

Moving to Malta – We Can Help

1st Move International has been helping people move to Malta from the UK for over 25 years. We are a team of trained experts who take care of the whole move. From packing and shipping to customs and final delivery in Malta, you can always count on us for a high-quality service. When you’re ready to move, get in touch for a free, tailored quote for your removals to Malta.