Cyprus vs Malta
Side-by-side comparison of Cyprus and Malta: residency, citizenship, tax, cost of living and lifestyle. Updated 2026.
Cyprus versus Malta is the EU passport / English-speaking comparison. Both are EU members and English is widely spoken in business and law. Malta restructured its Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services regime in 2020 (€600k–€750k contribution); Cyprus closed its CBI in November 2020 after EU pressure. Cyprus still offers the Cat F passive-income permanent residency at relatively low thresholds. Tax: Malta uses a remittance basis for non-doms; Cyprus has a 17-year non-dom regime exempting overseas passive income from defence contribution.
| Field | Cyprus | Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Region | europe / Southern Europe | europe / Southern Europe |
| Capital | Nicosia | Valletta |
| Population | 1,251,488 | 533,000 |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Euro (EUR) |
| Languages | Greek, Turkish | Maltese, English |
| Passport rank | 15 | 9 |
| Visa-free destinations | 176 | 186 |
| Dual citizenship | Allowed | Allowed |
| Tax system | residence-based | remittance-based |
| Territorial taxation | No | No |
| Special tax regime (NHR-style) | No | No |
| Citizenship by investment | — | Available |
| Citizenship by descent | — | — |
| Years to naturalisation | 7 years | 5 years |
| Cost of living (NYC=100) | 57 | 58 |
| Safety index | 74 | 72 |
| Healthcare index | 64 | 74 |
| Quality of life | 148 | 162 |
| Climate | Mediterranean | Mediterranean |
| Schengen | Non-member | Member |
| EU | Member | Member |
Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Verify with official sources before acting.