Malta vs Portugal
Malta is ahead on taxes, language, infrastructure. Portugal is ahead on money & crypto. Full criterion-by-criterion data below.
VerifiedUpdated
Scoreboard
The key numbers head-to-head — the stronger side is marked. The overall score stays decoration; what matters is which facts fit you.
Headline result
Malta leads on 3 of 6
Malta
3
Portugal
2
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- One-adult households spent PPS 13,633 a year in Malta's 2020 Household Budget Survey; at the survey's own euro-to-PPS ratio (€23,770 against PPS 26,528 for the average household) that is €12,216. Uplifted by Malta's HICP from the 2020 to the 2025 annual average (106.37 → 125.90, ×1.1836) and divided by 12: €1,205 a month, × 1.1206 USD/EUR (ECB, 2026-10-09) = $1,350. Actual rentals, 5.4% of a single adult's spending in the survey, are removed (imputed rent is not part of Malta's HBS), and the remaining COICOP divisions are summed from cost-breakdown.
- Notes
- Malta's latest Household Budget Survey is the 2020 wave, so the basket reflects a pandemic year, when spending on restaurants, travel and recreation was depressed; the inflation uplift corrects prices, not that pattern, so the figure is more likely low than high. A one-adult household in the survey includes pensioners as well as working people.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
- Notes
- National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Scheme mt-self-employed-standard at €60,000 revenue with 10% deductible expenses (net profit €54,000): Class 2 social security at its 2026 cap, €83.89 × 52 = €4,362.28; income tax at the single rates, 54,000 × 25% − 3,400 = €10,100. Levies €14,462.28 → 24.1%. The standard regime is the one open to every resident, EU citizens included, and without a time limit.
- Notes
- A non-EU remote worker on the Nomad Residence Permit pays 10% on the same profit after the first twelve months — €5,400, or 9.0% — and nothing in the first twelve (scheme mt-nomad-residence-permit), but only while the permit lasts, four years at most, and only on work for clients or employers outside Malta.
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS0101, per 100k)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- 2024: 5 homicides, 0.89 per 100,000 (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). With about 570,000 residents each case moves the rate by about 0.18, so the series swings: 2019 0.81, 2020 1.17, 2021 0.39, 2022 1.54, 2023 0.37.
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Malta
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for MT in 2023 (14,854 download tests; daily medians ranged 34.0-287.3 Mbps). 2023 is the year used across the dataset.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is a single-stream test and reads well below advertised fibre speeds; it is comparable only within this criterion.
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.
Constitution of Malta, article 5 — Maltese and English are the official languages
Official source
- Data as of
- Oct 10, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- Maltese is the national language, but Maltese and English are both official languages: the administration may use either, and anyone may address it in English and must be answered in English. The courts are the exception: their language is Maltese, and Parliament may provide for the use of English in particular cases.
EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.
Verdict
Each lens weighs only the facts that matter to that plan, and names the side it favours.
Remote IT / freelancer
Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.
Malta fits better — 3 of 5
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Scheme mt-self-employed-standard at €60,000 revenue with 10% deductible expenses (net profit €54,000): Class 2 social security at its 2026 cap, €83.89 × 52 = €4,362.28; income tax at the single rates, 54,000 × 25% − 3,400 = €10,100. Levies €14,462.28 → 24.1%. The standard regime is the one open to every resident, EU citizens included, and without a time limit.
- Notes
- A non-EU remote worker on the Nomad Residence Permit pays 10% on the same profit after the first twelve months — €5,400, or 9.0% — and nothing in the first twelve (scheme mt-nomad-residence-permit), but only while the permit lasts, four years at most, and only on work for clients or employers outside Malta.
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Malta
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for MT in 2023 (14,854 download tests; daily medians ranged 34.0-287.3 Mbps). 2023 is the year used across the dataset.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is a single-stream test and reads well below advertised fibre speeds; it is comparable only within this criterion.
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.
Constitution of Malta, article 5 — Maltese and English are the official languages
Official source
- Data as of
- Oct 10, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- Maltese is the national language, but Maltese and English are both official languages: the administration may use either, and anyone may address it in English and must be answered in English. The courts are the exception: their language is Maltese, and Parliament may provide for the use of English in particular cases.
EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- One-adult households spent PPS 13,633 a year in Malta's 2020 Household Budget Survey; at the survey's own euro-to-PPS ratio (€23,770 against PPS 26,528 for the average household) that is €12,216. Uplifted by Malta's HICP from the 2020 to the 2025 annual average (106.37 → 125.90, ×1.1836) and divided by 12: €1,205 a month, × 1.1206 USD/EUR (ECB, 2026-10-09) = $1,350. Actual rentals, 5.4% of a single adult's spending in the survey, are removed (imputed rent is not part of Malta's HBS), and the remaining COICOP divisions are summed from cost-breakdown.
- Notes
- Malta's latest Household Budget Survey is the 2020 wave, so the basket reflects a pandemic year, when spending on restaurants, travel and recreation was depressed; the inflation uplift corrects prices, not that pattern, so the figure is more likely low than high. A one-adult household in the survey includes pensioners as well as working people.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
- Notes
- National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
MaltaPost — Easipik parcel lockers and local courier
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Oct 10, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Classified from MaltaPost's own pages, read on 2026-10-10: a 24/7 network of Easipik parcel lockers around Malta and Gozo, free for MaltaPost deliveries (€3.50 for other couriers' parcels), lockers in three sizes up to 30 kg; a tracked local courier service to any address in Malta and Gozo, with optional pick-up from lockers or post offices and cash-on-delivery collection. No source for next-day delivery as a standard was found, so the top band is not given → 'good'.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- National operator CTT offers next-day ('Expresso Para Amanhã') and 2-day express nationwide, with the Collectt pickup network (CTT shops + Payshop agents + Locky 24/7 parcel lockers) and real-time tracking. Private carriers DPD, GLS, DHL, UPS, Chronopost and Seur operate nationwide. Rated 'good' — 1–3 day delivery is the norm and lockers exist in cities, but locker density and universal next-day are below the best-in-class (e.g. Poland's InPost).
Family
Relocating with a partner and school-age children.
A close call for this plan
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS0101, per 100k)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- 2024: 5 homicides, 0.89 per 100,000 (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). With about 570,000 residents each case moves the rate by about 0.18, so the series swings: 2019 0.81, 2020 1.17, 2021 0.39, 2022 1.54, 2023 0.37.
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.
Constitution of Malta, article 5 — Maltese and English are the official languages
Official source
- Data as of
- Oct 10, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- Maltese is the national language, but Maltese and English are both official languages: the administration may use either, and anyone may address it in English and must be answered in English. The courts are the exception: their language is Maltese, and Parliament may provide for the use of English in particular cases.
EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
Money & crypto
Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.
A close call for this plan
Markets in Crypto-Assets Act (Cap. 647) — Act XXXVI of 2024, as amended by Act XI of 2025
Official source
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2024
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- Legal and licensed under the EU's MiCA regulation. The Markets in Crypto-Assets Act sets the national rules MiCA leaves to member states and names the Malta Financial Services Authority as competent authority for crypto-asset service providers and token issuers; it also provided for the repeal of the earlier Virtual Financial Assets Act. Nothing restricts individuals holding or trading crypto-assets.
Autoridade Tributária — Criptoativos: conceito fiscal e tributação (folheto informativo)
Official source
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Legal for individuals; regulated under EU MiCA/CARF. Since Law 24-D/2022: capital gains on crypto held ≥365 days are tax-EXEMPT (declared in Anexo G1); gains on assets held <365 days are taxed at a 28% autonomous rate (Category G, option to aggregate); crypto-to-crypto swaps are deferred (not taxed at the swap). Frequent/professional trading may be reclassified as Category B (general rates). Classified legal-friendly for the explicit long-term-holding exemption; short-term gains are still fully taxed.
Composite — euro-area free movement of capital + S.L. 373.04 Use of Cash (Restriction) Regulations
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 9, 2021
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Malta is a euro-area member of the EU, so capital moves freely under EU law and no currency or capital controls apply. The one restriction on personal money flows found is the Use of Cash (Restriction) Regulations (Legal Notice 81 of 2021): no cash payment of €10,000 or more, in one transaction or several linked ones within six months, for the purchase or sale of antiques, immovable property, jewellery and precious metals and stones, motor vehicles, sea-craft and works of art, on pain of a fine of at least 40% of the excess. There is no general cash ceiling on other payments. Classified 'low'.
ASAE — cash-payment limits (Art. 63.º-E Lei Geral Tributária); euro-area free movement of capital
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: euro-area member, no currency or capital controls, EUR fully convertible; free movement of capital guaranteed by the EU Treaty (Art. 63 TFEU). Non-resident bank accounts routinely available. Standard EU CRS/DAC reporting via banks; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account self-declaration for individuals. Cash-payment limit €2,999.99 for residents (natural persons) and €9,999.99 for non-residents not acting as merchants (Art. 63.º-E LGT) — a limit on cash, not on bank money movement. Rated 'low' state control over personal money flows.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Scheme mt-self-employed-standard at €60,000 revenue with 10% deductible expenses (net profit €54,000): Class 2 social security at its 2026 cap, €83.89 × 52 = €4,362.28; income tax at the single rates, 54,000 × 25% − 3,400 = €10,100. Levies €14,462.28 → 24.1%. The standard regime is the one open to every resident, EU citizens included, and without a time limit.
- Notes
- A non-EU remote worker on the Nomad Residence Permit pays 10% on the same profit after the first twelve months — €5,400, or 9.0% — and nothing in the first twelve (scheme mt-nomad-residence-permit), but only while the permit lasts, four years at most, and only on work for clients or employers outside Malta.
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
Calm lifestyle
Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.
Portugal fits better — 2 of 2
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS0101, per 100k)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- 2024: 5 homicides, 0.89 per 100,000 (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). With about 570,000 residents each case moves the rate by about 0.18, so the series swings: 2019 0.81, 2020 1.17, 2021 0.39, 2022 1.54, 2023 0.37.
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- One-adult households spent PPS 13,633 a year in Malta's 2020 Household Budget Survey; at the survey's own euro-to-PPS ratio (€23,770 against PPS 26,528 for the average household) that is €12,216. Uplifted by Malta's HICP from the 2020 to the 2025 annual average (106.37 → 125.90, ×1.1836) and divided by 12: €1,205 a month, × 1.1206 USD/EUR (ECB, 2026-10-09) = $1,350. Actual rentals, 5.4% of a single adult's spending in the survey, are removed (imputed rent is not part of Malta's HBS), and the remaining COICOP divisions are summed from cost-breakdown.
- Notes
- Malta's latest Household Budget Survey is the 2020 wave, so the basket reflects a pandemic year, when spending on restaurants, travel and recreation was depressed; the inflation uplift corrects prices, not that pattern, so the figure is more likely low than high. A one-adult household in the survey includes pensioners as well as working people.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
- Notes
- National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
Details
Taxes
01+−Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profileMaltastronger24.1Portugal30
What this measures
Effective total burden (income tax + mandatory social and health contributions) for a solo IT freelancer with €60,000/year revenue and 10% deductible expenses, using the most favourable eligible scheme in the country's tax-schemes data. Computed by the SettleMetric tax engine; recorded as a curated value with the winning scheme id in method.
Malta
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Scheme mt-self-employed-standard at €60,000 revenue with 10% deductible expenses (net profit €54,000): Class 2 social security at its 2026 cap, €83.89 × 52 = €4,362.28; income tax at the single rates, 54,000 × 25% − 3,400 = €10,100. Levies €14,462.28 → 24.1%. The standard regime is the one open to every resident, EU citizens included, and without a time limit.
- Notes
- A non-EU remote worker on the Nomad Residence Permit pays 10% on the same profit after the first twelve months — €5,400, or 9.0% — and nothing in the first twelve (scheme mt-nomad-residence-permit), but only while the permit lasts, four years at most, and only on work for clients or employers outside Malta.
Portugal
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
Legalization
01+−Remote-work legalization easeMaltaDedicated nomad visaPortugalDedicated nomad visa
What this measures
Best available legalization route for a location-independent earner with a median (non-EU, non-US) passport, classified from this country's legalization-paths data: dedicated digital-nomad visa; general freelance/self-employment permit; realistic long-stay path (e.g. renewable temporary residence); only short visa-free/tourist stays; effectively none.
Malta
Residency Malta Agency — Nomad Residence Permit
Official source
- Data as of
- Apr 17, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- Malta's Nomad Residence Permit is a dedicated permit for third-country nationals who work remotely for foreign employers or clients, with a €42,000 gross income threshold; it lasts a year, can be renewed three times and does not lead to long-term residence (see mt-nomad-residence-permit).
Portugal
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Portugal has a dedicated digital-nomad route (D8): a residence visa for remote professional activity carried out for entities outside Portugal (in force since 2022, Law 18/2022), leading to a 2-year residence permit renewable for 3 years and to permanent residence/citizenship after 5 years. A temporary-stay variant (under 1 year) also exists. Income requirement 4× the national minimum wage (4 × €920 = €3,680/month in 2026).
Cost of living
01+−Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rentMalta1,278Portugalstronger1,166
What this measures
Monthly cost of a defined single-person basket (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure) excluding rent, curated from national statistics office price data and large local retailers' published prices, converted to USD at the ECB rate recorded in fx-rates. The method field of each value itemizes the basket inputs.
Malta
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- One-adult households spent PPS 13,633 a year in Malta's 2020 Household Budget Survey; at the survey's own euro-to-PPS ratio (€23,770 against PPS 26,528 for the average household) that is €12,216. Uplifted by Malta's HICP from the 2020 to the 2025 annual average (106.37 → 125.90, ×1.1836) and divided by 12: €1,205 a month, × 1.1206 USD/EUR (ECB, 2026-10-09) = $1,350. Actual rentals, 5.4% of a single adult's spending in the survey, are removed (imputed rent is not part of Malta's HBS), and the remaining COICOP divisions are summed from cost-breakdown.
- Notes
- Malta's latest Household Budget Survey is the 2020 wave, so the basket reflects a pandemic year, when spending on restaurants, travel and recreation was depressed; the inflation uplift corrects prices, not that pattern, so the figure is more likely low than high. A one-adult household in the survey includes pensioners as well as working people.
Portugal
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
- Notes
- National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
Monthly spending by category (excl. rent)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Each COICOP division's share of one-adult households' spending (per mille: food 215, transport 109, restaurants and hotels 91, miscellaneous 91, furnishings 78, health 68, clothing 63, recreation 61, communication 48, energy 36, dwelling maintenance 33, alcohol and tobacco 33, water and other dwelling services 16, education 4) applied to the CPI-uplifted monthly total including rent, $1,350. Actual rentals (54 per mille) are left out; the items sum to $1,278, the cost-of-living-single figure.
INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (COICOP-2018 structure), CPI-uplifted
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 COICOP-2018 expenditure shares (food 13.0%, transport 11.3%, restaurants & accommodation 8.3%, furnishings 4.4%, health 4.2%, information & communication 3.8%, personal care/misc 3.4%, recreation 2.9%, alcohol/tobacco 1.7%, clothing 1.2%; housing 41.7% split into ~9% utilities/upkeep kept and rent excluded) applied to the CPI-uplifted single-person monthly total (€1,618) and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Categories sum to the ~$1,166/mo excl-rent aggregate. National average.
- Notes
- Structure is the all-household COICOP-2018 split (INE does not publish a full single-person COICOP table); applied to the single-person total as a transparent approximation. Housing utilities are kept; rent/imputed rent is excluded per the cost-of-living definition.
Housing
Rent by apartment type
Asking rent, central price with outside-centre in parentheses ($/mo).
SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Valletta)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Valletta; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Funchal, Lisbon, Porto)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Funchal, Lisbon, Porto; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
Safety
01+−Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/yearMalta0.9Portugalstronger0.7
What this measures
Intentional homicide victims per 100,000 population, latest available year. Country level: UNODC national series. City level: official municipal/police statistics where published; otherwise null (country value shown as country-level).
Malta
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS0101, per 100k)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- 2024: 5 homicides, 0.89 per 100,000 (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). With about 570,000 residents each case moves the rate by about 0.18, so the series swings: 2019 0.81, 2020 1.17, 2021 0.39, 2022 1.54, 2023 0.37.
Portugal
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
Healthcare
01+−Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-oldMaltano verified dataPortugal650
What this measures
Median of at least three publicly quoted annual premiums for comprehensive private medical insurance (outpatient + inpatient, ~$100k coverage, small deductible) for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner, from local and international insurers. Method field lists the insurers quoted.
Malta
Not priced. Malta's health insurers (Atlas, Bupa Malta, GasanMamo, MAPFRE MSV Life) publish benefit limits but no premiums; prices are given only on a quote. The one rate card found belongs to a staff group scheme of the University of Malta, which is not comparable with an individual policy. For reference, the Nomad Residence Permit requires a prepaid policy with at least €100,000 of cover in the EU and the UK.
Portugal
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.
Money & crypto
01+−Crypto regulationMaltaLegal regulatedPortugalstrongerLegal friendly
What this measures
Own classification of the legal status of holding, trading and cashing out cryptocurrency for individuals: legal-friendly (legal with clear, favourable rules or explicit tax exemptions), legal-regulated (legal under standard licensing/AML and taxation), restricted (partial bans: payments or banking access prohibited), banned (holding/trading prohibited). Classified from national regulators' and central banks' official positions.
Malta
Markets in Crypto-Assets Act (Cap. 647) — Act XXXVI of 2024, as amended by Act XI of 2025
Official source
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2024
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- Legal and licensed under the EU's MiCA regulation. The Markets in Crypto-Assets Act sets the national rules MiCA leaves to member states and names the Malta Financial Services Authority as competent authority for crypto-asset service providers and token issuers; it also provided for the repeal of the earlier Virtual Financial Assets Act. Nothing restricts individuals holding or trading crypto-assets.
Portugal
Autoridade Tributária — Criptoativos: conceito fiscal e tributação (folheto informativo)
Official source
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Legal for individuals; regulated under EU MiCA/CARF. Since Law 24-D/2022: capital gains on crypto held ≥365 days are tax-EXEMPT (declared in Anexo G1); gains on assets held <365 days are taxed at a 28% autonomous rate (Category G, option to aggregate); crypto-to-crypto swaps are deferred (not taxed at the swap). Frequent/professional trading may be reclassified as Category B (general rates). Classified legal-friendly for the explicit long-term-holding exemption; short-term gains are still fully taxed.
02+−Financial control levelMaltaLowPortugalLow
What this measures
Own composite of state control over personal money flows: currency/capital controls (IMF AREAER), restrictions on foreign accounts and transfers, mandatory income declaration scope for residents, cash payment limits, banking access for foreigners. Low = free movement of personal funds and easy non-resident banking; very-high = strict capital controls and pervasive reporting. Method field on each value lists the inputs used.
Malta
Composite — euro-area free movement of capital + S.L. 373.04 Use of Cash (Restriction) Regulations
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 9, 2021
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Malta is a euro-area member of the EU, so capital moves freely under EU law and no currency or capital controls apply. The one restriction on personal money flows found is the Use of Cash (Restriction) Regulations (Legal Notice 81 of 2021): no cash payment of €10,000 or more, in one transaction or several linked ones within six months, for the purchase or sale of antiques, immovable property, jewellery and precious metals and stones, motor vehicles, sea-craft and works of art, on pain of a fine of at least 40% of the excess. There is no general cash ceiling on other payments. Classified 'low'.
Portugal
ASAE — cash-payment limits (Art. 63.º-E Lei Geral Tributária); euro-area free movement of capital
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: euro-area member, no currency or capital controls, EUR fully convertible; free movement of capital guaranteed by the EU Treaty (Art. 63 TFEU). Non-resident bank accounts routinely available. Standard EU CRS/DAC reporting via banks; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account self-declaration for individuals. Cash-payment limit €2,999.99 for residents (natural persons) and €9,999.99 for non-residents not acting as merchants (Art. 63.º-E LGT) — a limit on cash, not on bank money movement. Rated 'low' state control over personal money flows.
Infrastructure
01+−Domestic delivery qualityMaltaGoodPortugalGood
What this measures
Quality of in-country parcel delivery. excellent = nationwide next-day widely available, dense parcel-locker network, real-time tracking standard; good = 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities; basic = reliable but slow (3–7 days), mostly to-door or post-office pickup; poor = unreliable delivery, street addresses often unusable, informal workarounds common. Classified from official service/coverage data of the national postal operator and the two largest private carriers; inputs itemized in each value's method field.
Malta
MaltaPost — Easipik parcel lockers and local courier
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Oct 10, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Classified from MaltaPost's own pages, read on 2026-10-10: a 24/7 network of Easipik parcel lockers around Malta and Gozo, free for MaltaPost deliveries (€3.50 for other couriers' parcels), lockers in three sizes up to 30 kg; a tracked local courier service to any address in Malta and Gozo, with optional pick-up from lockers or post offices and cash-on-delivery collection. No source for next-day delivery as a standard was found, so the top band is not given → 'good'.
Portugal
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- National operator CTT offers next-day ('Expresso Para Amanhã') and 2-day express nationwide, with the Collectt pickup network (CTT shops + Payshop agents + Locky 24/7 parcel lockers) and real-time tracking. Private carriers DPD, GLS, DHL, UPS, Chronopost and Seur operate nationwide. Rated 'good' — 1–3 day delivery is the norm and lockers exist in cities, but locker density and universal next-day are below the best-in-class (e.g. Poland's InPost).
02+−International delivery easeMaltaMinor frictionPortugalMinor friction
What this measures
Ease of receiving goods from abroad. seamless = major international carriers deliver door-to-door, meaningful duty-free de-minimis threshold, customs clearance predictable in days; minor-friction = carriers present but low de-minimis, extra paperwork or routine delays; significant-friction = frequent customs holds, high brokerage fees, some marketplaces refuse to ship; unreliable = parcels regularly lost or blocked, informal import channels dominate. De-minimis thresholds and clearance rules from the national customs authority (official source, cite the regulation); carrier presence from carriers' official pages.
Malta
European Commission — temporary €3 customs duty on low-value imports (from 1 July 2026)
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- Parcels from the EU single market arrive without customs. For non-EU imports the EU abolished the duty exemption on consignments up to €150 and since 1 July 2026 charges a temporary €3 customs duty per item, until 1 July 2028. MaltaPost's SendOn service gives shoppers forwarding addresses in Italy, Germany, the UK and the USA for stores that do not ship to Malta, with customs declarations required for goods bought from the UK.
Portugal
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market, all major carriers). Non-EU imports: the €150 duty-free threshold was removed on 2026-07-01 — a temporary flat €3/item duty applies to ≤€150 consignments (until the 2028 EU Customs reform); import VAT has applied from €0 since 2021 (IOSS collects it at checkout). Predictable but no longer duty-free — hence minor-friction.
03+−Internet speedMbps, median fixed downloadMaltastronger85Portugal40
What this measures
Median fixed-broadband download speed over the trailing 6 months from M-Lab NDT open data (CC0), aggregated at country or city level. Not comparable with Ookla figures (different test methodology) — do not mix sources within this criterion.
Malta
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Malta
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Method
- Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for MT in 2023 (14,854 download tests; daily medians ranged 34.0-287.3 Mbps). 2023 is the year used across the dataset.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is a single-stream test and reads well below advertised fibre speeds; it is comparable only within this criterion.
Portugal
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.
Language
01+−English proficiencyMaltastrongerNativePortugalVery high
What this measures
Own banding of how far English gets a resident in daily life (government offices, healthcare, housing, services). Informed by EF EPI band (research source, cited with attribution, not republished) plus official language status and service-sector realities. Values are our bands, not EF scores.
Malta
Constitution of Malta, article 5 — Maltese and English are the official languages
Official source
- Data as of
- Oct 10, 2026
- Verified
- Oct 10, 2026
- Notes
- Maltese is the national language, but Maltese and English are both official languages: the administration may use either, and anyone may address it in English and must be answered in English. The courts are the exception: their language is Maltese, and Parliament may provide for the use of English in particular cases.
Portugal
EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
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