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Malta Luxury Real Estate

Seafront apartments at Tigné Point and Portomaso, palazzos in Valletta and farmhouses on Gozo: in Malta’s Special Designated Areas, foreigners buy exactly as the Maltese do.

Best Areas →How to Buy →Founding Partners →
Grand Harbour Marina at Birgu with yachts, MaltaPhoto: Fly Anywhere Couple / Unsplash

At a glance

Malta property at a glance

Who can buy
Anyone, freehold. Non-EU buyers need an AIP permit outside the Special Designated Areas.
Special Designated Areas
No permit, no minimum price and no limit on the number of homes.
Stamp duty
5%: 1% at the promise of sale, 4% on the deed.
Annual property tax
None, and no wealth tax.
Residency through property
Yes. Permanent residence (MPRP) from a €375,000 purchase or €14,000 a year rent.
Citizenship by investment
Ended in 2025.
Currency
Euro (EUR).

Why buy here

Why buy in Malta

Malta is an English-speaking EU member with a deep-water harbour, a capital that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a calendar of yachting and culture. Its luxury market is concentrated in a handful of seafront developments where foreigners buy without a permit.

There is no annual property tax and no wealth tax. Buying a home, or renting one, is also the basis of permanent residence for non-EU families.

Malta’s rules are changing: the Global Residence Programme closes to new applicants on 31 December 2026. For hotels, yachts and Gozo, see our guide to Malta.

Who can buy

Who can buy property in Malta

Special Designated Areas. In approved developments such as Tigné Point, Portomaso, Pendergardens, Fort Cambridge, Mercury Towers and The Shoreline, foreigners buy as Maltese citizens do: no permit, no minimum price, several units allowed, and letting permitted.

The AIP permit, outside those areas. Non-EU buyers, including Americans, need an Acquisition of Immovable Property permit from the tax authority (MTCA). A minimum price applies, indexed every year, so confirm the current figure; the fee is €233 and the service target is 35 days. It normally covers one home, for your own use.

EU citizens and companies. EU citizens need no permit for a main home. Companies controlled by non-EU persons also need a permit, and the one-property limit applies outside the designated areas.

Best areas to buy

The best areas to buy in Malta

No reputable source publishes prime prices per square metre by locality in Malta. The figures below are the National Statistics Office’s premium over the national average apartment price, for 2025.

Sliema

Sliema and Tigné Point

The seafront promenade and the Tigné Point designated area.

61% above averageApartment price premium over the national average. NSO, 2025 data.

Malta & Gozo: Territory page →
St Julian’s

St Julian’s: Portomaso, Pendergardens, Mercury Towers

Marina and high-rise designated areas, with hotels, restaurants and yacht berths.

57% above averageApartment price premium over the national average. NSO, 2025 data.

Malta & Gozo: Territory page →
Pembroke

Pembroke and Fort Cambridge

Seafront apartments; Fort Cambridge is a designated area.

43% above averagePembroke apartment premium over the national average. NSO, 2025 data.

Malta & Gozo: Territory page →
North-east

Madliena, Swieqi and Għargħur

Detached villas with sea views above St Julian’s.

28–39% above averageApartment premium: Swieqi 39%, Għargħur 28%. NSO, 2025 data.

Malta & Gozo: Territory page →
Manoel Island and Fort Manoel in Marsamxett Harbour from the air, Malta
Manoel Island and Fort Manoel in Marsamxett Harbour from the air, Malta · Photo: Mike Nahlii / Unsplash
Harbour

Ta’ Xbiex

Embassy villas and the marina front.

23% above averageApartment price premium over the national average. NSO, 2025 data.

Malta & Gozo: Territory page →
Valletta bastions and St Paul’s spire in evening light, Malta
Valletta bastions and St Paul’s spire in evening light, Malta · Photo: Alexander Serzhantov / Unsplash
Capital

Valletta and Floriana

Restored palazzos and townhouses in the UNESCO capital.

No verified figureNo published per-square-metre figure.

Malta & Gozo: Territory page →
Mgarr harbour and its yachts below Ghajnsielem, Gozo
Mgarr harbour and its yachts below Ghajnsielem, Gozo · Photo: David Gil de la Canal / Unsplash
Gozo

Gozo

Restored farmhouses and village houses, at a clear discount to Sliema.

No verified figurePrices vary widely; no reliable benchmark was found.

Malta & Gozo: Territory page →

All of these areas are part of the Malta & Gozo Territory.

Developers

Leading developers and branded residences

  • Tigné Point, by MIDI plcSliema

    Seafront apartments in a Special Designated Area. Visit website ↗︎

  • Portomaso, by Tumas GroupSt Julian’s

    A marina development and Special Designated Area.

  • Mercury TowersSt Julian’s

    Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects; a Special Designated Area. Visit website ↗︎

  • PendergardensSt Julian’s

    A Special Designated Area of apartments and gardens.

  • Fort CambridgeSliema

    A seafront Special Designated Area.

  • The Shoreline, SmartCityKalkara

    A Special Designated Area facing the Grand Harbour approaches.

How to buy

How to buy property in Malta, step by step

  1. Get a tax number. A Maltese tax identification number from MTCA; the notary normally arranges it.
  2. Appoint a notary. A notary is mandatory: they draft the deed, run the searches, collect the duty and register the sale. Many foreign buyers also hire an independent advocate.
  3. Sign the promise of sale (konvenju). With a deposit of typically 10%, a completion date and conditions such as clean searches, the AIP permit and financing. You pay 1% provisional stamp duty, and the konvenju is registered with MTCA within 21 days.
  4. Due diligence and permit. Title, planning, ground-rent and encumbrance searches. Non-EU buyers outside the designated areas file the AIP application.
  5. Sign the final deed. Before the notary; the balance and the remaining 4% duty are paid.
  6. Registration. The notary registers the deed at the Public Registry and, where applicable, the Land Registry.

Timeline. The konvenju sets the completion date, commonly about three months.

Lawyers and lenders who serve foreign buyers can be listed on this page. To advertise, write to [email protected].

Taxes and fees

Taxes and fees in Malta

Buying
ItemRate or costNotes
Stamp duty5%Of the higher of price or market value: 1% at the konvenju, 4% on the deed
VATNoneNot charged on resale or new residential property
AIP permit€233Non-EU buyers outside the designated areas
Owning and selling
ItemRateNotes
Annual property taxNoneNo local council tax and no wealth tax
Rental income15% final tax on gross rentOptional each year, for residents and non-residents
Tax on sale (seller)8% of the transfer value5% if sold within five years in many cases; 10% for property bought before 2004

Residency through property

Residency through property in Malta

See also residency and golden visas.

Open

Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)

Permanent residence for the investor and family, run by Residency Malta Agency:

  • Buy at least €375,000, or rent at least €14,000 a year, anywhere in Malta or Gozo; hold the property at least five years
  • Administration fee €60,000 and a single government contribution of €37,000, whether buying or renting; €2,000 NGO donation
  • Capital of €500,000 (at least €150,000 in financial assets) or €650,000 (at least €75,000 in financial assets)
  • The agency’s own website still shows earlier fees; confirm with Residency Malta
Closes 31 December 2026

Global Residence Programme

A tax status for non-EU nationals, open to new applicants only until 31 December 2026; those who apply by then keep its terms until 2031. From 1 January 2027 it is replaced by Global Resident Status: a €700,000 purchase or €14,000 a year rent, a €35,000 minimum annual tax and an €8,500 fee. Citizenship by investment ended after the EU Court of Justice ruling of 29 April 2025.

Founding Partners

Founding Partners in Malta

Three places for Founding Partner Agencies and three for Developers in each Territory. Places are open.

Founding Partners →The Territories →

Questions buyers ask

Buying property in Malta: questions buyers ask

Can Americans buy property in Malta?

Yes. In Special Designated Areas there is no permit and no minimum price. Elsewhere, Americans need an AIP permit, which normally covers one home for their own use.

What is a Special Designated Area?

An approved development, such as Tigné Point or Portomaso, where foreigners buy exactly as Maltese citizens do: several units allowed and letting permitted.

Does buying property in Malta give residence?

Yes. The Malta Permanent Residence Programme requires a €375,000 purchase or €14,000 a year rent, a €60,000 administration fee, a €37,000 contribution and qualifying capital.

Can I still get Maltese citizenship by investment?

No. The EU Court of Justice ruled against it on 29 April 2025, and Malta replaced it with discretionary citizenship by merit.

Is there an annual property tax in Malta?

No. Malta has no annual property tax, no local council tax and no wealth tax.

Where to stay while you look

Iniala Harbour House

Selected by TheMediterranean.com · Valletta, Malta

View the Resort

Sources

Checked and sourced

Checked 31 October 2026. Rules and rates change; confirm with a qualified lawyer and tax adviser before you buy. TheMediterranean.com is not a real estate broker, agent or finder, and nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice.

Official sources

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