Cyprus vs Malta.

Two countries' verified rules for an early retiree, side by side. There is no winner here: a lower cost, a wealth tax and an exit tax pull in different directions, and which ones matter is yours to weigh.

What pays for your life?

Compare the same source of money in both countries. Open the detail to see when residence starts and which values apply after a move. It also shows what the other country may tax and how the treaty handles double tax.

Income source	Cyprus	Malta
Selling investments	Cyprus does not tax an individual's gain on ordinary shares, bonds, funds or ETFs. Its 20% capital gains tax is mainly for Cyprus property and shares whose value comes substantially from Cyprus property.	A recognised-exchange share gain is exempt. A resident who is not domiciled in Malta also pays no Maltese tax on a foreign capital gain, even if remitted.
Dividends	Dividends are outside personal income tax. A domiciled resident pays the SDC levy and the 2.65% GESY health contribution. A non-dom pays no SDC but still pays GESY. SDC is 5% on profits earned from 2026 and 17% on the older profit pools during the transition.	A Maltese company dividend carries a credit for company tax already paid. A resident who is not domiciled is taxed on a foreign dividend only when it is remitted.
Crypto	From 2026, a private sale, swap, gift or spend is taxed at 8%. A crypto loss can reduce only crypto gains from the same year. Mining follows the normal income rules, and non-dom status does not remove the 8% charge.	A passive disposal of a payment coin is normally outside Malta's listed capital-gains assets. Trading, mining and security-token returns follow different income rules.
Pension	Each year, a resident can choose 5% tax on the part of a foreign pension above €5,000. If the normal income-tax bands produce a lower bill, the resident can use those instead. This choice is not limited to the first few years after moving.	From 2026, a person aged at least 61 can exempt qualifying pension income up to €37,104. Excess income follows the person's ordinary worldwide or remittance basis.
Own company	A Cyprus company pays 15% from 2026. A dividend to the owner then follows the SDC, domicile and GESY rules. Managing a foreign company from Cyprus can also make that company taxable there.	A Maltese company pays 35% company tax. Malta's full-imputation and shareholder-refund system can reduce the final combined burden, depending on the profit type and refund conditions.

Full income detail: Cyprus

The full income picture

These are the usual rules for a resident unless a case says otherwise. A new-resident rule, tax wrapper or treaty may change one case without changing the others.

Securities and funds

Exempt

Cyprus does not tax an individual's gain on ordinary shares, bonds, funds or ETFs. Its 20% capital gains tax is mainly for Cyprus property and shares whose value comes substantially from Cyprus property.

Listed shares Exempt: Selling a listed share is an exempt disposal of a title. Cyprus capital gains tax does not apply unless the share falls within the Cyprus-property-rich rule.
Fund and ETF units Exempt: Mutual-fund and ETF units are titles, so the individual disposal is exempt. The rule does not add a domicile or listing-venue condition.
Holding period No minimum holding period: The titles exemption does not depend on holding the asset for a set number of months or years. It is an exemption for the asset class, not a long-holding relief.
Losses No deduction against taxable income: A loss on an exempt title does not create a deductible capital loss. There is no personal carry-forward for these securities losses.
Foreign and US listings Exempt: Foreign shares and foreign fund units receive the same titles exemption. Tax taken abroad on dividends and other foreign obligations remains separate from the sale.
Accumulating funds No annual tax on unsold fund growth: Cyprus does not tax undistributed internal fund income each year for the individual. An accumulating unit can later be sold under the titles exemption. A cash distribution follows the dividend rule instead.

Worth checking

From 2031, the new law can treat certain redemptions from company-form collective investment schemes as dividends. Recheck the fund form before that date.

Dividends

Same Cyprus tax plus tax taken abroad

Dividends are outside personal income tax. A domiciled resident pays the SDC levy and the 2.65% GESY health contribution. A non-dom pays no SDC but still pays GESY. SDC is 5% on profits earned from 2026 and 17% on the older profit pools during the transition.

Cyprus company dividend SDC 5% or 17% if domiciled; 0% SDC if non-dom; GESY 2.65%: A domiciled resident pays 5% SDC on distributions from post-2025 profits and 17% on the transitional older profit pools. A non-dom pays no SDC. Both pay GESY, subject to its €180,000 income cap.
Foreign listed dividend Same Cyprus tax plus tax taken abroad: Cyprus applies the same SDC and GESY treatment to a foreign dividend. The company's country may take tax first. A domiciled resident can use that tax only up to the Cyprus SDC bill. A non-dom has no SDC bill, so may need to reclaim tax from the other country.
EU/EEA company dividend No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Check the payer country and treaty rather than assuming an EU/EEA result.
Third-country company dividend No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Use the general foreign case and check the treaty with the company's country.
Passive or substantial holding Same personal SDC rule: Holding size does not change an individual's SDC rate or non-dom exemption. Corporate participation rules do not become a personal exemption.
Fund or ETF distribution Dividend treatment plus GESY: A fund distribution follows the dividend category for the individual. The accumulating fund case and exempt unit disposal remain separate.
Non-dom and the Article 3D election 0% SDC before the time limit; fixed option later: A non-dom pays no SDC until Cyprus treats them as domiciled. An eligible person can then choose €50,000 each year or €250,000 once for five years. The five-year option can be used twice at most. This changes the SDC method, not the non-dom period. GESY still applies.

Worth checking

The year the company earned the profit decides whether SDC is 5% or the transitional 17%. Article 3D and GESY are separate layers.

Crypto

From 2026, a private sale, swap, gift or spend is taxed at 8%. A crypto loss can reduce only crypto gains from the same year. Mining follows the normal income rules, and non-dom status does not remove the 8% charge.

Sale to fiat 8%: Cyprus taxes the net disposal gain at 8% from 1 January 2026.
Crypto-to-crypto exchange 8%: Exchanging one crypto-asset for another is a disposal under the 8% rule.
Spending crypto 8%: Paying for goods or services with crypto is a disposal under the 8% rule.
Holding relief and losses No holding relief; same-year loss offset only: Holding the asset longer does not remove the 8% charge. Crypto losses can offset only crypto gains in the same tax year and do not carry forward.
Staking and lending No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Do not apply the 8% disposal rate to staking or lending yield without a source.
Mining, validation and airdrops Mining uses ordinary income rules: Mining is expressly outside the 8% disposal regime and follows the ordinary income rules. The treatment of validator rewards and airdrops is not pinned from a source yet.
Private investor or business No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Confirm whether professional activity remains inside the 8% rule or moves to business income.
Wealth and exit tax Neither applies to a private holding: Cyprus has no net wealth tax and no personal exit tax, so the private crypto holding is outside both.
Non-dom No relief from the 8% charge: Non-dom status removes SDC, not income tax. It does not reduce the 8% crypto disposal tax.

Worth checking

The live gaps are staking, airdrops, professional activity and the cost basis of coins acquired before Cyprus residence.

Pensions

5% above €5,000, or ordinary rates

Each year, a resident can choose 5% tax on the part of a foreign pension above €5,000. If the normal income-tax bands produce a lower bill, the resident can use those instead. This choice is not limited to the first few years after moving.

Cyprus pension Income-tax bands; first €22,000 exempt from 2026: A Cyprus-source pension uses the ordinary personal income tax bands and GESY. The 5% election is limited to qualifying foreign pensions.
Foreign state or social-security pension 5% above €5,000, or ordinary rates: The resident can make the annual 5% election for qualifying foreign pension income. The paying country may still have a treaty right. Cyprus gives credit only up to its own bill, so some tax paid abroad can remain unrecovered.
Foreign occupational or private pension 5% above €5,000, or ordinary rates: A qualifying foreign occupational or private pension can use the same annual election. The treaty often lets Cyprus tax the pension as the resident country. The exact article must confirm whether the paying country may also take tax.
Foreign government or civil-service pension No safe answer yet: This pension has its own treaty article and is not the state-pension case. Check the paying country and treaty before assuming the 5% election applies.
Foreign pension lump sum Scheme and treaty decide: The statutory exemption reaches a qualifying commutation from an approved scheme, not every foreign lump sum. Confirm the scheme, payment form and treaty before relying on an exemption.
Foreign-pension election 5% above €5,000; yearly choice; no time limit: The election is a standing resident option for qualifying pension income earned from services abroad. It is not a new-resident rule and does not exempt other foreign income.

Worth checking

The threshold rose from €3,420 to €5,000 in 2026. Government pensions and lump sums still need the actual treaty and scheme.

If you own a company

Cyprus SDC plus tax taken abroad

A Cyprus company pays 15% from 2026. A dividend to the owner then follows the SDC, domicile and GESY rules. Managing a foreign company from Cyprus can also make that company taxable there.

Company profit 15% from 2026: A Cyprus-resident company pays 15% before any owner extraction. A foreign company whose main decisions are made from Cyprus can face the same company tax on worldwide profit.
Distribution from a Cyprus company SDC 5% or 17% if domiciled; 0% if non-dom; GESY: A domiciled owner pays SDC according to the profit vintage and both domiciled and non-dom owners pay GESY. The 2026 reform ended the forced-distribution tax rule for post-2025 profits.
Distribution from a foreign company Cyprus SDC plus tax taken abroad: Cyprus applies the owner's domicile and GESY position to the foreign dividend. The company's country taxes its profit and may also tax the payment. A non-dom has no Cyprus SDC bill against which to use that foreign tax.
Foreign entity type No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Confirm whether Cyprus treats the foreign vehicle as a company or looks through it before calling the payment a dividend.
Ownership threshold No personal threshold effect: Holding size does not change the individual's SDC rate or the titles exemption on an ordinary share sale. Corporate participation rules are a separate layer.
Sale of your stake Exempt, unless Cyprus-property-rich: An ordinary company share sale is an exempt disposal of a title. If at least 20% of the share value comes from Cyprus immovable property, the property-linked gain enters 20% capital gains tax.
Salary or director fee Income-tax bands plus social insurance and GESY: Salary and director fees are employment income under the ordinary bands, with social insurance and GESY. A foreign director fee also has its own treaty article.
Social and remuneration risk No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Review salary, dividends and personal work together before assuming a contribution result.
Running the company from Cyprus The company can become taxable in Cyprus: Making the main company decisions from Cyprus can move the company's tax residence there. Activity in Cyprus can also create a taxable business presence. From 2026, a company incorporated in Cyprus is resident there by default. A treaty settles any clash with another country.
Controlled foreign company Can tax profit before a dividend is paid: Cyprus can tax a Cyprus company on certain passive profit earned by a controlled, low-taxed foreign subsidiary before any dividend is paid. This company-level rule has a small-profit exception.
Non-dom 0% SDC on distributions; corporate layer remains: Non-dom status can remove SDC from a distribution for up to 17 years. It does not remove the 15% company tax, GESY or the risk that Cyprus taxes the foreign company itself.

Worth checking

The 15% company rate and incorporation-based residence test both began in 2026. Where the main company decisions are made remains the central question for a company still registered abroad.

Review the company and your personal position together before the move.

Interest and cash

SDC for domiciled; 0% SDC for non-dom; GESY 2.65%

Interest is outside personal income tax but within SDC for a domiciled resident, with a reduced rate for specific Cyprus cases. A non-dom pays no SDC. GESY still applies.

Cyprus bank or bond interest SDC for domiciled; 0% SDC for non-dom; GESY 2.65%: A domiciled resident pays SDC on ordinary deposit and bond interest. Some Cyprus government or development bonds and low-income cases receive a reduced SDC rate, but the exact current rates are not pinned here. A non-dom pays no SDC, and GESY applies to both.
Foreign interest Cyprus SDC plus tax taken abroad: Cyprus applies the resident's SDC and GESY position to foreign interest. The other country may take tax first. Cyprus gives credit only up to its SDC bill. A non-dom has no SDC bill to use that credit against.
Allowances and levies No general allowance; GESY 2.65%: Cyprus provides no general interest allowance. Reduced SDC cases are narrow, and GESY applies subject to the annual income cap.
Non-dom 0% SDC for up to 17 years; GESY remains: A non-dom resident pays no SDC on worldwide interest until Cyprus treats them as domiciled. GESY and tax taken abroad can still apply.

Worth checking

The exact individual SDC rate on ordinary interest and the reform's passive- interest boundary need rechecking before implementation.

Rent

Income-tax bands after 20% building deduction; GESY 2.65%

Rent uses the ordinary personal income tax bands after the building deduction. SDC on rent ended in 2026, while GESY remains. Foreign property is normally taxed first where it sits.

Property in Cyprus Income-tax bands after 20% building deduction; GESY 2.65%: Cyprus taxes rental income under the ordinary bands after the standard 20% building deduction and other qualifying items. SDC on rent was abolished from 2026, but GESY remains.
Property abroad Cyprus income tax plus property-country tax: The property country normally taxes the rent first. Cyprus includes the income after its deduction, then gives credit only up to the Cyprus bill. Non-dom status does not exempt rental income.
EU/EEA property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Check the property country and treaty pair.
Rental deductions 20% standard building deduction: The building deduction applies at 20%, with qualifying mortgage interest and capital allowances considered separately. This is the headline shape, not a return calculation.

Worth checking

SDC on rent is gone from 2026, but ordinary income tax and GESY remain. Non-dom status does not shelter the rent.

Property gains

20% less a conditional lifetime exemption

Cyprus applies 20% capital gains tax mainly to Cyprus property and shares whose value comes substantially from Cyprus property. A gain on foreign property sits outside this tax, so the country where the property is located normally taxes it.

Cyprus main home 20% less a conditional lifetime exemption: A Cyprus main-home gain starts inside the 20% charge, with a lifetime main-residence exemption, indexation and the historic or 1980 base rules potentially reducing it. The exact allowance is not pinned here.
Cyprus investment or second property 20% less the general lifetime exemption: A Cyprus investment-property gain is 20%, with the smaller general lifetime exemption, indexation and the applicable historic or 1980 base. The exact allowance is not stated here.
Foreign property Outside Cyprus capital gains tax: Cyprus does not tax a private investment gain on property outside Cyprus. The country where the property sits normally taxes the sale. Frequent property dealing can still be treated as a business instead of a private investment.
Foreign EU/EEA property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Check the property country and treaty pair.
Foreign third-country property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Check the property country and treaty pair.
Main-home conditions Lifetime allowance; conditions apply: The main-residence relief is a lifetime allowance for a qualifying Cyprus home, not an allowance renewed on every sale. The exact amount and use conditions are not pinned here.
Starting value after a move No arrival reset: Cyprus property keeps its original starting value, or the 1 January 1980 value where that rule applies. Foreign property remains outside Cyprus capital gains tax and receives no new Cyprus starting value.
Non-dom No effect on property gains: Non-dom status changes SDC, not capital gains tax. It neither exempts a Cyprus property gain nor changes the already out-of-scope foreign property gain.

Worth checking

The property-rich share threshold fell from 50% to 20% in 2026. The lifetime allowance figures and 1980 base mechanics remain intentionally numberless here.

Royalties

Income-tax bands plus GESY

Personal royalties use the ordinary income-tax bands. Non-dom status does not exempt them. The Cyprus IP box belongs to companies, not individual licensors.

Cyprus royalties Income-tax bands plus GESY: A royalty received personally is ordinary income. Active trade can also bring self-employed social insurance and the self-employed GESY rate.
Foreign royalties Cyprus income tax plus tax taken abroad: Cyprus taxes the gross royalty. Tax taken abroad can reduce the Cyprus bill only as far as zero. The treaty sets how much the other country may take. Non-dom status does not exempt royalties.
Which rights qualify Personal income; company IP box separate: Copyright, patent and licensing receipts held personally use ordinary income tax. The 80% deduction for qualifying IP profit is a company provision, not a personal one.
Passive or active No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Confirm whether the activity is passive income or an active business before applying social charges.
Social contributions and VAT No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Check social insurance, GESY and VAT for the exact activity.

Worth checking

Royalty tax follows the current personal bands. The active-work and contribution boundary remains excluded until it has clause-level support.

If you still work

0% to €22,000, then rates up to 35%; contributions extra

Employment and self-employment use the ordinary personal bands, with social insurance and GESY alongside them. Work performed from Cyprus can also create duties for a foreign employer.

Employment in Cyprus 0% to €22,000, then rates up to 35%; contributions extra: Work physically performed in Cyprus uses the ordinary bands, with employee social insurance and GESY added separately.
Remote work for a foreign employer Cyprus tax; employer risk: A resident working from Cyprus is within Cyprus tax even when the employer is abroad. The foreign employer can acquire payroll duties or a taxable business presence. The treaty decides which country taxes the workdays. An A1 certificate or another agreement separately decides social security.
Self-employment and consulting Income-tax bands plus self-employed contributions: Consulting profit uses the ordinary personal bands. Self-employed social insurance and the 4% self-employed GESY rate sit beside the income tax.
Director fees Separate treaty article: Director fees are personal income and have their own treaty category. A fee from a foreign company can therefore attract tax in the company's state as well as Cyprus relief.
New-resident employment exemption No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Do not rely on a 50% or 20% employment exemption until the threshold, duration and eligibility are verified for the current year.

Worth checking

The €22,000 starting threshold is enacted for 2026. The inbound employment exemptions and contribution rates still need the current official conditions.

Three terms that matter in Cyprus

Domicile and non-dom

Tax residence decides whether Cyprus taxes you as a resident. Domicile is a separate test used for SDC. A resident who is still non-dom can avoid SDC for up to 17 years, but not every other tax.

SDC

The Special Defence Contribution. For an individual, it mainly sits beside dividends and interest. The rate depends on domicile and, for dividends, when the company earned the profit.

GESY

The health contribution. It can still apply when non-dom status removes SDC, which is why "0% SDC" does not mean "no tax".

Your first tax year and starting values

Two dates matter: when your new country starts taxing you, and which value it uses to work out a later gain. Check both before you move.

When residence starts: Cyprus has a 183-day route and a shorter 60-day route. The shorter route also requires qualifying work, a business or a directorship in Cyprus, plus a permanent home there. You must spend at least 60 days in Cyprus and no more than 183 days in any other one country.
The arrival year: Residence is tested for the calendar year rather than through a formal UK-style split year. The result is generally a resident or non-resident year under the 183-day or 60-day test.
Dual residence: The 2026 law removed the former condition that a 60-day resident must not be tax resident elsewhere. If another state also claims residence, the treaty tie-breaker must settle the overlap.
Listed shares and funds: Starting value does not matter for an exempt sale
An individual's later sale of ordinary shares or funds is exempt. Cyprus therefore does not need a starting value to calculate a gain in that case.
Crypto: No safe answer yet
No safe answer is shown yet. Confirm the starting value for crypto acquired before Cyprus residence before calculating a disposal under the new 8% rule.
Owner-company stake: Usually irrelevant because the share sale is exempt
An ordinary company share sale is exempt, so the value on arrival does not affect it. Shares deriving at least 20% of their value from Cyprus property enter the separate property-gain rule.
Property: No arrival reset
Cyprus property keeps its original value, or the 1 January 1980 value where that rule applies. Foreign property stays outside Cyprus capital gains tax, so moving there does not create a new starting value.

Plain-language key

Withholding tax: Tax taken before the money reaches you, usually in the country where the payment comes from.
Tax credit: Tax already paid abroad can reduce the bill where you live. The reduction is usually capped at the local tax on that same income.
Original purchase cost: What you paid for the asset. A market-value reset replaces that figure with the asset's value when you move.
Income-tax bands: The income is added to your other taxable income. Higher total income can push part of it into a higher band.
Permanent establishment: A taxable business presence. Running a foreign company from your new home can create one even if the company remains registered abroad.

This gives you the starting rule, not your final bill. The country paying the money, your treaty, account, holding period, residence dates and activity can change the result.

Full income detail: Malta

The full income picture

These are the usual rules for a resident unless a case says otherwise. A new-resident rule, tax wrapper or treaty may change one case without changing the others.

Securities and funds

0% (listed-securities exemption)

A recognised-exchange share gain is exempt. A resident who is not domiciled in Malta also pays no Maltese tax on a foreign capital gain, even if remitted.

Listed shares 0% (listed-securities exemption): A gain on the transfer of shares in a company listed on a recognised stock exchange is exempt from tax. The exemption was widened in scope from year of assessment 2018 (extending beyond the Malta Stock Exchange to recognised foreign exchanges under conditions).
Fund and ETF units Different rules apply: The non-domiciled resident's foreign fund-unit gain is outside Malta tax even if remitted. A domiciled resident cannot assume that every listed fund is exempt.
Losses Different rules apply: Capital losses on chargeable assets are generally set against capital gains, with carry-forward of unabsorbed capital losses. A loss on an exempt (listed) or out-of-scope (non-domiciled resident's foreign) asset produces no allowable loss.
Foreign and US listings 0% (non-domiciled resident's foreign gain untaxed or listed exemption): For this comparison, (a non-domiciled resident), gains on directly held foreign or US listings and US-domiciled ETFs are foreign capital gains and are not taxed even if remitted to Malta. The listed-securities exemption reaches recognised foreign exchanges.

Worth checking

For this case, ordinary listed shares and foreign capital gains of a non-domiciled resident are the stable branches. A collective investment scheme-unit exemption requires both recognised-exchange listing and prescribed-fund status.

Dividends

Different rules apply

A Maltese company dividend carries a credit for company tax already paid. A resident who is not domiciled is taxed on a foreign dividend only when it is remitted.

Maltese company dividend Different rules apply: A dividend of taxed profits from a Maltese company carries a full credit for company tax. If the shareholder's marginal rate is below 35%, the excess credit can be refunded.
Foreign listed-share dividend Different rules apply: The foreign listed dividend is taxed differently by domicile. The domiciled Malta resident includes it at progressive rates (up to 35%) with a credit for foreign tax. Check the treaty for source tax and Malta's relief.
EU or EEA company dividend No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Third-country company dividend No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Passive or substantial holding No individual threshold effect: The dividend outcome does not turn on holding size. A Maltese-company dividend is franked by imputation no matter stake, and a foreign dividend follows the domicile/remittance rule regardless of stake.
Fund or ETF distribution Different rules apply: The distribution paid out by a fund is investment income. A distribution by a Maltese collective investment scheme to a resident can fall within the investment-income final-withholding tax (15%) provisions.
New-resident treatment Special rule: A non-domiciled resident pays no Malta tax on a foreign dividend that is not remitted, and progressive tax (with foreign-tax credit) on what is remitted. The qualifying residence and retirement programmes instead tax remitted foreign income at 15%.

Worth checking

Two easily-confused layers: (1) imputation makes a Maltese dividend carry no further tax for the individual, do not restate the corporate 6/7 refund as the individual's rate. (2) foreign dividends are domicile-driven (remittance for a non-domiciled resident).

Crypto

0% (coins not chargeable assets)

A passive disposal of a payment coin is normally outside Malta's listed capital-gains assets. Trading, mining and security-token returns follow different income rules.

Sale for money 0% (coins not chargeable assets): A passive holder's sale of a coin to fiat is not subject to capital gains tax. This is because coins are not on the Income Tax Act's list of chargeable assets.
Crypto-to-crypto exchange Different rules apply: A coin-for-coin exchange by a passive holder is not a transfer of a chargeable asset, so it does not trigger capital gains tax. A trader's swaps are part of trading income.
Spending crypto Treated like payment in any currency: Payments made in coins are treated like payments in any other currency for income-tax purposes. A passive holder's use of coins to buy goods or services is not a chargeable-asset transfer.
Holding relief and losses Exempt under the ordinary rule: For this case, mere holding is not taxed and there is no wealth tax. A capital-nature disposal of coins is outside capital gains tax entirely (coins are not chargeable assets).
Staking and lending Income (progressive), general principles: Yield in the nature of a return (staking, lending, financial-token returns) is treated as income and taxed accordingly under general income-tax principles. The 'coin not a chargeable asset' carve-out is about disposal gains, not about ongoing yield.
Mining, validation and airdrops Taxable under the ordinary rule: For this case, gains or profits on revenue account from mining of cryptocurrency are treated as ordinary income (like trading coin sales).
Private investor or business Different rules apply: This whole result turns on the capital-vs-trade line (badges of trade). A genuine store-of-value holder's coin disposals are outside capital gains tax.
Wealth tax and departure tax Exempt under the ordinary rule: For this case, Malta has no net wealth tax and no personal exit tax, so crypto is not swept into either. (EU anti-avoidance corporate exit-tax rules are a company-level matter.).
New-resident treatment Special rule: For a resident who is not domiciled in Malta, a foreign capital gain on crypto remains outside Maltese tax even when remitted. Crypto income can follow the remittance basis instead.

Worth checking

EU crypto-market and reporting rules post-date the guidance. Confirm the Malta tax authority's current coin-versus-financial-token classification and its treatment of staking or airdrops.

Pensions

Different rules apply

From 2026, a person aged at least 61 can exempt qualifying pension income up to €37,104. Excess income follows the person's ordinary worldwide or remittance basis.

Malta pension Reduced rule: For an individual aged at least 61, qualifying Malta-source pension income is fully exempt up to €37,104 from the 2026 tax year. For this case, any excess follows the otherwise applicable progressive rates.
Foreign state or social-security pension Special rule: A qualifying foreign state or social-security pension can use the ordinary age-61 exemption up to €37,104 from the 2026 tax year. For this case, any excess follows the resident's worldwide or remittance basis, or an applicable 15% programme. Check the treaty for source tax and Malta's relief.
Foreign occupational or private pension Different rules apply: An eligible foreign occupational/private pension is included in the ordinary age-61 exemption up to €37,104. For this case, excess follows the domiciled worldwide basis or non-domiciled resident remittance basis unless a 15% programme applies. Check the treaty for source tax and Malta's relief.
Foreign government or civil-service pension No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Foreign pension lump sum No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Special foreign-pension rule Special rule: The Residence Programme, Global Residence Programme and Malta Retirement Programme are separate 15% routes. Each has its own minimum tax, property and eligibility conditions.

Worth checking

The ordinary age-61 exemption and the 15% programmes are separate. The Malta Retirement Programme's pension-income test and exclusion of stand-alone lump sums still matter.

If you own a company

Different rules apply

A Maltese company pays 35% company tax. Malta's full-imputation and shareholder-refund system can reduce the final combined burden, depending on the profit type and refund conditions.

Company profit Taxable under the ordinary rule: The Maltese company pays income tax at a flat 35%. Maltese entities may newly elect a 15% rate (final withholding tax) on chargeable income computed under standard rules.
Distribution from a Maltese company Different rules apply: A dividend of taxed profits from the owner's Maltese company carries full imputation. The individual shareholder pays no further tax (refund of excess credit if their rate is below 35%).
Distribution from a foreign company Different rules apply: A foreign-company dividend follows the resident's domicile and remittance position. Foreign company tax and withholding sit upstream. A non-domiciled resident who does not remit has nothing to credit in Malta. Check the treaty for source tax and Malta's relief.
Foreign entity type No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Ownership threshold Different rules apply: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the relevant tax event occurs.
Sale of your company stake Different rules apply: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the asset is sold or otherwise disposed of.
Salary or director fee Progressive personal income tax (0% to €12,000, up to 35%) plus 10% employee social contributions: For this case, salary or a director fee taken from the company is employment income at progressive rates plus employee social security (10% of salary, within contribution limits). For this case, director fees are a separate treaty category from dividends.
Social contributions and remuneration risk No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Running the company from Malta Taxable under the ordinary rule: Running a foreign company from Malta can make it Malta-resident under the management-and-control test or create a Maltese permanent establishment. A foreign-incorporated company managed in Malta uses the company remittance basis, so the exposure is not the same as the individual's.
Controlled foreign company rules EU anti-avoidance controlled foreign companies at Malta-company level (from 2019): Malta applies EU anti-avoidance controlled-foreign-company rules from 1 January 2019. Undistributed income of a low-taxed controlled foreign entity can be attributed to a Malta-resident controlling company, subject to de minimis thresholds.
New-resident treatment Special rule: A non-domiciled resident owner is taxed on a foreign company's distributions only if remitted. A foreign-incorporated company managed from Malta is itself taxed on the remittance basis.

Worth checking

A foreign company managed from Malta can become taxable there on a remittance basis. Confirm the scope of the separate 15% final-tax election before relying on it.

Review the company and your personal position together before the move.

Interest and cash

15% final withholding tax (opt-out to progressive)

Qualifying investment interest can carry a final 15% withholding charge. The resident can instead choose the progressive calculation where the rules allow.

Malta bank or bond interest 15% final withholding tax (opt-out to progressive): Interest that is 'investment income' paid by a Maltese payor (for example bank deposit interest) to a resident recipient falls under a 15% final withholding tax. The recipient may instead elect to declare it and be taxed at progressive rates.
Foreign bank or bond interest Different rules apply: Foreign interest is not paid by a Maltese payor, so the 15% final-withholding tax mechanism does not attach automatically. A domiciled resident includes it at progressive rates with a foreign-tax credit. Check the treaty for source tax and Malta's relief.
Allowances and extra charges Reduced rule: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.
New-resident treatment Special rule: A non-domiciled resident pays no Malta tax on foreign interest that is not remitted. The qualifying residence and retirement programmes tax remitted foreign interest at 15%.

Worth checking

Domestic investment interest can use a 15% final withholding charge, with an option for progressive assessment. Check that the payment qualifies before relying on the final rate.

Rent

15% final tax on gross rent (elective) or progressive with deductions

Option of a 15% final tax on gross rent, or normal progressive rates with deductions. Domiciled resident progressive plus foreign-tax credit.

Property in Malta 15% final tax on gross rent (elective) or progressive with deductions: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.
Property abroad Different rules apply: Foreign rent is taxed by domicile. A domiciled resident includes it (progressive plus foreign-tax credit). Check the treaty for source tax and Malta's relief.
EU or EEA property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Rental deductions Reduced rule: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.

Worth checking

The rent watch depends on the asset classification, source country or treaty. Recheck the stated conditions before acting.

Property gains

Exempt (3-year main residence)

For this case, main-residence exemption if owned and occupied for at least 3 consecutive years. A non-domiciled resident's foreign property gains are not taxed even if remitted.

Malta main home Exempt (3-year main residence): A gain on the transfer of a Malta main residence is exempt from the property transfer tax. This applies where the property was owned and occupied as the owner's main residence for at least three consecutive years (and generally sold within a short window of vacating).
Malta investment or second property Taxable under the ordinary rule: A Malta investment/second property sale bears the final property transfer tax. Generally 8% of the transfer value, 10% where acquired before 1 January 2004.
Foreign property Different rules apply: A non-domiciled resident pays no Malta tax on a foreign property gain, even if remitted. A domiciled resident instead falls within worldwide taxation, subject to treaty relief.
Foreign EU or EEA property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Foreign third-country property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Main-home conditions Own plus occupy at least 3 consecutive years (sold within a short window): The main-residence exemption from the property transfer tax applies to a Malta property owned and occupied as the owner's sole/main residence for at least three consecutive years. For this case, it is a conditions-based exemption, not a per-sale allowance.
Starting value after a move No arrival rebase (value-based final tax): Malta's property transfer tax is charged on the transfer value (a final withholding tax), not on a computed gain. There is no arrival cost-basis or rebase for Malta property.
New-resident treatment Non-domiciled resident's foreign property gains untaxed even if remitted: The non-domiciled residence position and qualifying residence programmes removes Malta tax on foreign property gains entirely (foreign capital gains are not taxed even if remitted). It does not change the Malta property transfer tax on a Malta-situated sale, which is value-based and applies no matter domicile.

Worth checking

Malta's property charge is a final tax on transfer value, not on the computed gain. Reduced rates and duty reliefs can change through annual budget measures.

Royalties

Different rules apply

Royalties are generally ordinary progressive personal income for individuals. Royalties from qualifying patents and certain author/copyright royalties benefit from exemptions or reduced treatment (exact terms to confirm).

Malta royalties Different rules apply: For this case, royalty income received by an individual is generally taxed at progressive rates. Malta grants exemptions/reduced treatment for royalties derived from qualifying patents and for certain author/artist copyright royalties (a specific reduced/final regime).
Foreign royalties Different rules apply: Foreign royalties follow the domicile rule. A domiciled resident uses progressive rates, with treaty credit for permitted source-country tax.
Which rights qualify Different rules apply: Copyright, patent and licensing royalties received personally are in principle progressive personal income. Malta's specific reliefs, royalties from qualifying patents, and a reduced/final regime for authors' copyright royalties, narrow the charge for those categories.
Passive or active Different rules apply: A one-off/passive royalty is investment income. A licensing activity carried on as a business is self-employment, adding self-employed social security (15% of net income).
Social contributions and value-added tax No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.

Worth checking

Foreign royalties of a non-domiciled resident depend on whether the income is remitted to Malta.

If you still work

Progressive personal income tax (0% to €12,000, up to 35%) plus 10% employee social contributions

For this case, employment physically exercised in Malta is Malta-source and taxable even for a non-domiciled resident. Foreign employment for work done abroad follows the remittance basis.

Employment in Malta Progressive personal income tax (0% to €12,000, up to 35%) plus 10% employee social contributions: Employment income for work physically done in Malta carries tax at progressive rates plus employee social security (10% of salary, within limits). For this case, this is Malta-source income and is taxable even for a non-domiciled resident (the remittance basis does not shelter Malta-source income).
Remote work for a foreign employer Different rules apply: Work performed in Malta is Malta-source even when the employer is abroad; duties genuinely performed abroad can use different remittance treatment. The arrangement can also create a Maltese permanent establishment for the employer. The treaty and A1 position decide tax relief and social security.
Self-employment and consulting Progressive personal income tax plus self-employed social contributions 15% of net income: Self-employment/consulting profit carries tax at progressive rates, with self-employed social security at 15% of the previous year's net income (within limits). For this case, mandatory social charges are the material extra layer for a working mover.
Director fees Income-tax bands: Director fees are a separate treaty category, generally taxable where the company is resident. For this case, fees from a Maltese company are Malta-source progressive income.
New-resident worker rule No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.

Worth checking

The if you still work watch depends on the asset classification, source country or treaty. Recheck the stated conditions before acting.

One term that matters in Malta

Remittance basis

A resident who is not domiciled in Malta is taxed differently on foreign income and foreign gains. Whether money is brought into Malta matters for income, not foreign gains.

Your first tax year and starting values

Two dates matter: when your new country starts taxing you, and which value it uses to work out a later gain. Check both before you move.

When residence starts: Residence normally begins through ordinary presence or a settled intention to live in Malta. A newcomer usually keeps a separate foreign domicile and enters the remittance basis.
The arrival year: For a resident who is not domiciled in Malta, the remittance basis starts when residence begins. The exact first-year apportionment still needs a country-specific check.
Dual residence: Malta residence and domicile are separate. If another country also claims residence, the applicable treaty tie-breaker decides which country has treaty residence.
Listed shares and funds: Market value only when the conditions are met
Market value can become the new starting value only when the stated conditions are met. Otherwise the original purchase cost continues.
Crypto, Owner-company stake, Property: No gain basis needed for the ordinary case
The ordinary case does not need a sale basis because the gain is exempt or outside the normal gain calculation. A special case can differ.

Plain-language key

Withholding tax: Tax taken before the money reaches you, usually in the country where the payment comes from.
Tax credit: Tax already paid abroad can reduce the bill where you live. The reduction is usually capped at the local tax on that same income.
Original purchase cost: What you paid for the asset. A market-value reset replaces that figure with the asset's value when you move.
Income-tax bands: The income is added to your other taxable income. Higher total income can push part of it into a higher band.
Permanent establishment: A taxable business presence. Running a foreign company from your new home can create one even if the company remains registered abroad.

This gives you the starting rule, not your final bill. The country paying the money, your treaty, account, holding period, residence dates and activity can change the result.

At a glance.

Price it in your money

Tell me where you live now and what you spend a month, and every cost here becomes your number: the same life, priced country by country, in your own currency.

Where you live now

You spend, per month

Shown in

A guide, not a quote. I move your monthly spend by each country’s official price level (Eurostat and the World Bank, whole-economy, EU-27 = 100). No exchange rates, so it stays in your own currency. But averages hide rent and the city you pick, and changing country is rarely a straight swap. Read these as the right ballpark, then price the real thing.

Measure	Cyprus	Malta
Cost of living	89	92
A €2,500-a-month life	€2,230/mo	€2,300/mo
The ×30 number it implies	€803,000	€828,000
Housing to buy	—	—
Housing to rent	—	—
Housing vs the EU	−8%	−20%
Entry rules
The route in	The 'pink slip'	The Global Residence Programme
Golden visa	Open	Open
Years to a passport	8 yrs	5 yrs
The patterns each carries
Lower tax if you hold	no	no
Yearly tax on holdings	no	no
Taxes unsold gains	no	no
Exit tax	no	no
Deals for new residents	yes	yes
No wealth tax	yes	yes
Private crypto gains can be exempt	no	yes
Resident dividend tax at 10% or less	no	no
Foreign pension rule or regime	yes	yes

A “yes” is not a point scored: “no wealth tax” and “exit tax on leaving” pull opposite ways. Read the column against your own plan, not as a score.

Price the same life in each: Cyprus · Malta

The tax rules, in full.

Cyprus

Securities gains simply untaxed, and a rewritten code since January.

Wealth & exit tax

No wealth tax, and no exit tax on private portfolios.

Worth watching

The reform is six months old and professionals still argue points of it, the interest rules for individuals especially. Any plan built on Cyprus deserves a local adviser and a current reading.

The full Cyprus page

Malta

Listed gains untaxed, and non-doms keep foreign gains out of reach entirely.

Wealth & exit tax

No wealth tax, no exit tax on individuals.

Residence programmes

Paid residence and retirement programmes exist: 15% on remitted income with minimum taxes and property conditions attached. Priced tickets, movable terms.

Worth watching

The 2026 budget left investors alone. The open question on any Malta plan is your fund units' exact treatment if you're domiciled; get that answered before you move.

The full Malta page

Other comparisons

Greece vs Cyprus

None of this is tax or investment advice: it's education, kept deliberately at the level that survives fact-checking. Rules shift with every budget round; the specifics of your situation belong with a licensed adviser in your country. I'm happily not one.

Cyprus verified 8 July 2026 · Malta verified 8 July 2026. What's changed on the map

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