Standard of living

Happiness factors

Living standards in Malta are good and compare well with those of continental Europe. Malta is in fact considred to be amongst the best countries for expatriates to settle. The World Happiness Report 2018 shows Malta to be the 22nd happiest country in the world, beating Germany, France, Spain and Italy (156 countries ranked).

The report considered different factors, of which six were deemed most important:

• GDP per capita;
• Healthy years of life expectancy;
• Social support ( as measured by having someone to rely on during hard times);
• Trust (as measured by the absence of government corruption);
• Freedom to make life decisions; and
• Generosity (as measured by recent donations)

Life expectancy and infant mortality rates are comparable to those of advanced European economies. Education and health facilities are of a very high standard and available to all.

Indices for Malta compare very well with other countries in terms of its cost of living, the environment, freedom, health, safety, and climate. Annual living costs in Malta are substantially lower than most of the developed European countries. Safety and security are outstanding. Children can play outside in absolute safety in many villages, and most areas are safe to walk or drive around at night. International Living Magazine quotes Malta as being one of the best countries to live in for its climate:

Malta is a desirable destination for a multitude of reasons, but for many people its weather likely tops the list. Smack in the middle of the Mediterranean, this English-speaking island clocks 3,000 hours of sunshine per year.

Malta is a member of the European Economic and Monetary Union and uses Euro notes and coins. All major credit cards are widely accepted in main hotels, shops and restaurants.

InterNations survey

As one of the largest international community for people who live and work abroad, InterNations offers global networking opportunities, local events and expat-relevant information. The organisation surveyed more than 14,000 expats from over 191 countries to find the homes away from home with the best climate:

Malta – As much as 92% of expats were attracted to Malta for better weather. Life is good on the Mediterranean island, with nine out of 10 expats in Malta stating that it is easy to settle down there.

Source: uk.businessinsider.com, August 2017