What if you were born in Malta?

If you had grown up in Malta instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in Valletta could look like.

Try it with my numbers

Valletta skyline across the harbour. Photo: Olga Prystai, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Malta

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in EUR and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Malta: EUR 2,480Rs 763,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 717
Transport (public transport): EUR 126
Food: EUR 358
Saved: EUR 372

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Malta: EUR 5,700Rs 1,750,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 1,450
Transport (public transport): EUR 291
Food: EUR 969
Saved: EUR 855

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Malta: EUR 9,240Rs 2,840,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 2,260
Transport (car): EUR 864
Food: EUR 1,130
Saved: EUR 2,590

Try it with my own income

A day in Valletta

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in Valletta, a city of mild winters around 14°C and warm summers around 27°C.
Commute
You take a bus and a train: about 40 minutes, a bit longer in bad weather.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
You speak Maltese at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be pastizzi: flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas.
Evening
You get home with EUR 855 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast.

Malta compared with Pakistan

	Malta	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.0× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	83 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	11 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	2.9%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	20°C	26°C
Languages	Maltese, English	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	EUR	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Malta, living in Malta and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Malta?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around EUR 5,700 a month at the same level in Malta (about Rs 1,750,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Malta more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.0 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Malta?

Mainly Maltese, English. English is an official language.

Can I actually move to Malta?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Malta page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.