Living in Malta - Study in Malta

Living in Malta

Malta is a small, sunny, English-speaking island with a Mediterranean pace, warm summers, mild winters, and a culture that mixes Southern European, North African, and British influences. This guide covers the practical reality of student life: finding housing, banking, the honest truth about the climate, getting around on the Tallinja bus and the ferries, food, and settling into a country where everything runs in English. No tourist brochure version — the real picture.

Finding Housing

Housing is the single hardest part of arriving in Malta, especially around Sliema and St Julian's. Plan ahead and share.

Where students live

• Msida — right by the University of Malta; convenient and mid-priced
• Gzira / Ta' Xbiex — central, walkable to campus and the seafront
• Sliema / St Julian's — the student and expat hub, but the most expensive
• Cospicua / the Three Cities — near AUM, cheaper and characterful
• Gozo — quieter sister island, the cheapest rents, ferry to Malta

Rooms in shared flats run €450–650/month in the cheaper areas, €600–900 in Sliema and St Julian's. Sharing is the norm — solo studios are scarce and pricey.

The private market

Most students rent through local agencies and Facebook housing groups. Rentals are typically furnished, and you sign a contract directly with the landlord. Typical monthly costs:

Avoid arriving in peak summer, when seasonal demand spikes rents. Never pay a deposit before viewing the property in person or via a verified video tour — rental scams target international students.

Banking

Once you have your residence permit or registration, open a local account at:

• BOV (Bank of Valletta) — Malta's largest bank, widely used
• HSBC Malta — strong English service, easy international transfers
• APS Bank — local, student-friendly
• Revolut / Wise — many students use these for day-to-day spending alongside a local account

Bring your passport, residence permit or registration, and acceptance letter. Maltese banks can be slow to open accounts, so start early. A local account helps with rent, bills, and salaries, and digital banking is standard.

Daily Costs

Plan for roughly €700–1,100 per month, depending on where you live. Cooking at home keeps food cheap. Full budgets are in our costs and funding guide, or estimate yours with the cost-of-study calculator.

Living in Msida, Gzira, Cospicua, or Gozo keeps the total near the lower end; Sliema and St Julian's push it toward €900–1,100.

Getting Around

Malta is small and bus-centred — you rarely need a car:

The Tallinja bus

The Tallinja public bus network covers the whole island and is free or near-free for residents and students under government schemes. Get a Tallinja card to tap on. Buses can get crowded and run late in summer, so allow buffer time, but they reach almost everywhere.

Ferries

• The Valletta ferry links Valletta, Sliema, and the Three Cities quickly and scenically
• A separate Gozo Channel ferry connects Malta to Gozo in about 25 minutes

Ride-hailing and walking

Bolt and eCabs are cheap and widely used for door-to-door trips. Compact areas like Sliema, Valletta, and the Three Cities are very walkable. Cycling is growing but roads can be busy and narrow — ride with care.

The Climate — The Honest Version

Malta's climate is one of its biggest draws: Mediterranean, sunny, with no real cold season.

Summer (June–September)

• Temperature: hot and dry, regularly 30–35°C, occasional heat spikes higher
• Sea: warm enough to swim into October
• Practical: midday heat is intense — life slows, air-conditioning matters, and seafront flats stay warm at night

Winter (December–February)

• Temperature: mild, around 10–16°C — rarely more than a jacket needed
• Rain: most of the year's rain falls in short bursts in winter
• Indoors: buildings can feel cold and damp because heating is basic — a warm layer and a small heater help

Spring and autumn are long and pleasant. Malta enjoys some of Europe's most sunshine hours. Pack light, but bring one warm layer for winter evenings.

Food and Eating

Cooking at home

Supermarkets:

• Lidl — cheapest for staples
• Pavi / Pama — large local supermarkets, good value
• Greens / Scotts — convenient, slightly pricier

Local produce, fish, and bread are good and affordable. Most students cook and treat eating out as a social occasion.

Maltese staples to try

• Pastizzi — flaky cheese or pea pastries, cheap and everywhere
• Ftira — Maltese bread, often with tuna, olives, and tomato
• Fenek — rabbit stew, the national dish
• Kinnie — the bittersweet local soft drink

Eating out ranges from cheap pastizzeria snacks to pricier seafront restaurants in Sliema and St Julian's. International and fast-food options are broad.

Health and Healthcare

• Mater Dei Hospital in Msida is the main public hospital — modern and English-speaking, next to the University
• EU/EEA students use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for necessary public care
• Non-EU students must hold comprehensive private health insurance for the residence permit
• Pharmacies are widespread and well-stocked; pharmacists speak English
• GP registration is straightforward — sort it in your first weeks

Private insurance is useful for faster specialist access even when public care is available.

Language

• Maltese and English are both official languages
• Higher education, public services, banking, and daily life run fully in English — no language barrier for international students
• Learning a few Maltese phrases (grazzi = thanks, bonġu = good morning, saħħa = cheers/bye) is appreciated socially but never required
• This English-everywhere reality is one of Malta's biggest advantages over other EU study destinations

Staying Connected

• Prepaid SIM: GO, Melita, or Epic — ~€10–20/month for generous data
• Home internet is fast and often included in student housing
• Bolt / eCabs apps for cheap rides
• Digital banking is standard via your bank's app

Health and Safety

Malta is one of the safer countries in Europe. A few practical notes:

• Emergency number: 112 (all services)
• Low violent crime and a relaxed pace of life
• Paceville (St Julian's nightlife district) gets rowdy at weekends — use ordinary caution at night
• Rental and job scams target newcomers — verify any property or offer before paying
• Summer heat — stay hydrated and avoid the midday sun

Settling In and Making Friends

Maltese people are warm and social, and the English-speaking environment makes settling in fast:

• Join your university student organisation and its societies — KSU is the main University of Malta student council
• Festas — village feasts with fireworks and band marches run all summer; go along
• Beach days, swimming, and seafront walks are how most people recharge
• Erasmus and international student networks are large and active, especially around Sliema and St Julian's
• Day trips to Gozo, Comino (Blue Lagoon), and Valletta are easy and cheap

A Quick Glossary

A few terms and names you will meet constantly:

• Tallinja — the public bus network
• Residency Malta / Identità — the residence-permit authority
• Mater Dei — the main public hospital, in Msida
• UM — University of Malta, in Msida
• MCAST — the applied/vocational college
• AUM — American University of Malta, in Cospicua
• Pastizzi — flaky cheese or pea pastries
• Festa — village feast with fireworks and band marches
• Paceville — the St Julian's nightlife district
• Gozo / Comino — the sister islands
• Grazzi / bonġu — thanks / good morning in Maltese

Next Steps

1. Work and career — the 20-hour rule and post-study work
2. Costs and funding — full budgets and scholarships
3. Visa and arrival — the D visa, residence permit, and your first weeks
4. The 10-step guide — the whole journey in order