The Malta property market

This guide separates three things that are often confused: official information (law and statistics), market information (what agents and listings show, labelled as such) and current listings from our marketplace, which carry asking prices, never official valuations.

Property types

Apartments and penthouses dominate the harbour towns; maisonettes (ground-floor flats with their own entrance), terraced houses and townhouses are the traditional Maltese stock; houses of character are converted old village houses; villas are found in Madliena, Santa Maria Estate, the Three Villages and Gozo; farmhouses are Gozo's speciality. Special Designated Areas (SDAs) such as Portomaso, Tigné Point, Fort Chambray and Pendergardens are developments where non-residents may buy without a permit.

Prices and rents (official statistics)

The house price index rose 6.0% in 2025, 6.7% in 2024 and 6.2% in 2023; the rents component of the consumer price index rose 1.7% in 2025 after 8.9% in 2024 and 15.2% in 2023. The NSO and the Central Bank publish price indices and the Housing Authority publishes registered rent data. We do not publish average prices as official figures because no official per-locality price series is available to this platform; see Property prices for what can be said.

Locality differences

The Sliema–St Julian's–Gżira harbour area is the most expensive, followed by Valletta restorations, the Three Villages and Madliena; the north coast (St Paul's Bay, Mellieħa) and the south-east are cheaper; Gozo is cheaper still for most property types. Every locality guide shows the listings currently available there.

Buying: the process in brief

Offer and promise of sale (konvenju) with a 10% deposit held by the notary; searches and due diligence (title, planning permits, ground rent, bank consents); AIP permit for non-residents outside SDAs; final deed before the notary; payment of duty (5%, or exempt on the first €200,000 for first-time buyers of a home), notarial fees and registration. See Buying property.

Renting

Private residential leases must be registered with the Housing Authority; a deposit (typically one month) and a written contract are standard; furnished lets dominate. See Renting property.

Financing

Maltese banks lend to residents and, with conditions, to non-residents; typical loan-to-value is lower for non-residents and life and buildings insurance are required. Mortgage rates follow the ECB and the bank's base rate; get written offers before signing a promise of sale.

Professionals

Notaries (public officers who draft and register deeds), licensed estate agents (licensing is mandatory), architects (for permits and structural surveys) and lawyers (for complex titles). The directory lists registered professionals as records are verified.

MPRP and property

For the MPRP, a qualifying property must be purchased for at least €375,000 or rented for at least €14,000 a year, anywhere in Malta or Gozo, and held for five years. See MPRP property requirements.