EUROCOSTSCOUNTRY COMPARISON · UPDATED 2026-07-15
Malta vs Spain: taxes, salary and cost of living
Malta and Spain present two different cost profiles: the first question is whether the salary gap compensates for housing and daily expenses.
Malta vs Spain at a glance
| Indicator | Malta | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Standard VAT | 18% | 21% |
| Income tax | 0-35% | 19-47% |
| Social contributions | 20% | 36.25% |
| Tax burden | 29.8% | 39.5% |
| Average monthly salary | €2,250 | €2,642 |
| Studio rent | €1,037 | €950 |
| Monthly food estimate | €350 | €320 |
| Gasoline | 1.34 €/L | 1.57 €/L |
| Electricity | 0.13 €/kWh | 0.24 €/kWh |
Salary advantage and purchasing power
Spain records the higher listed monthly salary. The gap is €392, approximately 14.8% relative to the lower figure. Within the numeric EuroCosts sample, Malta ranks 16 of 27 for salary and Spain ranks 13 of 27. Currency conversion and salary methodology can materially change a relocation budget.
Housing pressure and everyday spending
Spain has the lower listed studio rent by €87, a 9.2% difference relative to the higher rent. Malta sits 29 of 37 and Spain 28 of 37 in the available low-to-high rent ranking. Spain also has the lower food estimate, so the housing result is reinforced by groceries.
After subtracting only the listed rent and food estimates, the simplified remainder is €863 in Malta and €1,372 in Spain. This leaves €509 more in Spain, before utilities, transport, healthcare, childcare or personal taxes not already reflected in salary.
VAT and personal tax context
Malta has the lower listed tax burden by 9.7 percentage points. Standard VAT is 18% in Malta versus 21% in Spain. Neither measure is a substitute for an individual payroll simulation.
Driving and mobility costs
Malta has the lower listed gasoline price by €0.23 per litre. For a driver buying 50 litres a month, that headline difference is about €11.5 monthly, before insurance, parking and road charges.
Choosing by relocation scenario
For Malta and Spain, short stays are influenced heavily by rent and restaurant prices; permanent relocation adds payroll, healthcare and administrative costs. These figures work best as a shortlist, not a final decision model.
Where the comparison lands
Spain produces the stronger simplified monthly remainder in this dataset, while Spain leads on listed rent. Your income source determines which advantage matters more.
Sources and data references
- PwC standard VAT rates
- PwC personal income tax rates
- PwC corporate income tax rates
- EuroCosts data scope and generation process
Explore Malta comparisons · Explore Spain comparisons