The harbour strip running from Gżira through Sliema to St Julian’s is where most remote workers in Malta live. It has a seafront promenade with rocky swimming spots, a short ferry ride to Valletta, English as an official language, fast fibre and a large international workforce drawn by iGaming and finance. Malta’s Nomad Residence Permit lets non-EU remote workers stay for a year at a time, renewable.
The trade-offs are cost and congestion. Rents have roughly doubled since 2019, so expect about $2,600 a month, and the strip is dense, built-up and noisy with construction and traffic. This guide covers what you need to set up for a month or more. For sights as a visitor, see the Sliema travel guide.
Sliema and St Julian's for Digital Nomads at a Glance#
Why Sliema Works for Remote Workers#
- English everywhere. English is an official language, so leases, banks, doctors and paperwork are straightforward.
- The sea. Swim off the rocks from May to November and walk the promenade before work.
- A ready-made community. Thousands of foreign workers in iGaming, finance and tech make it easy to meet people.
- Location. Flights to most of Europe in two to three hours, and Valletta is ten minutes away by ferry.
- A visa. Malta’s Nomad Residence Permit for non-EU remote workers.
Who It Suits (and Who It Doesn't)#
Sliema suits people who want sun, the sea and an easy English-speaking base in the EU, working European hours. It suits you less if you are on a tight budget, need quiet (cranes, drills and traffic are constant), or want green space: the strip is almost entirely concrete, and the rest of Malta is reached by slow buses or taxis.
Visas#
Malta is in the Schengen Area, so most non-EU visitors can stay 90 days in any 180. The Nomad Residence Permit needs a gross income of €42,000 a year from employers or clients outside Malta. You apply online through Residency Malta; the fee is €300 per person. The permit lasts a year and can be renewed, and the remote income is taxed at 0% in the first year and a flat 10% after that. See the Malta digital nomad guide for more.
Malta: Nomad Residence Permit
- Stay
- 1 year
- Valid for
- 1 year
- Renewal
- Up to 3 renewals (4 years in total)
- Money required
- €42,000 a year gross
- Fee
- €300 per person, plus €100 for the card
- Who qualifies
- Non-EU citizens working for a foreign employer, running a foreign business, or freelancing for foreign clients.
- Family
- Spouse and children can be added for €300 each
- Tax
- Remote income exempt from Maltese tax for the first 12 months if your presence that year is casual; then a flat 10%
- How to apply
- Online through Residency Malta. Official site
English is an official language, which makes the paperwork easier than most of Europe.
Malta for digital nomads · Rules checked October 2026. Confirm with the official source before applying.
What It Costs#
These are monthly costs for one person renting a furnished one-bed in Sliema, St Julian’s or Gżira, in US dollars. They are ballpark figures. Malta has some of the highest rents in southern Europe relative to local wages, and short lets cost more in summer.
| Monthly cost | Typical range (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Furnished 1-bed apartment, monthly | $1,250 - $1,850 | Sliema, St Julian's and Gżira; sea views add €100-300 |
| Bills (electricity, water) | $70 - $180 | Air-conditioning in summer pushes this up; some lets include bills |
| Home internet | $30 - $45 | Fibre from GO, Melita or Epic; often included in the rent |
| Coworking | $220 - $380 | Day passes about €25-30; hot desks from about €190-215 a month |
| Food (groceries plus eating out often) | $450 - $750 | A pastizz is under €1; a restaurant dinner €25-40 |
| Transport | $25 - $90 | Buses free with a personalised Tallinja card for residents; Sliema-Valletta ferry €3; Bolt rides |
| Phone plan with data | $12 - $30 | Epic, GO or Melita prepaid; EU roaming |
| Gym | $45 - $80 | |
| Social life and Gozo weekends | $200 - $450 | Boat trips to Comino; Gozo ferry from Ċirkewwa for a few euros |
These are ballpark estimates, not quotes. Real costs vary hugely with your lifestyle, which neighbourhood you live in, how often you eat out or take taxis, the season and the exchange rate. Use them to compare places, then check current prices before you commit.
Ways to save: live in Gżira or Swieqi rather than on the Sliema seafront, shop at Lidl rather than the small convenience stores, eat pastizzi and ftira for lunch, and sign a lease of several months rather than renting by the week.
Where to Live#
Most nomads live on the Sliema seafront, around Sliema Ferries or in St Julian’s. Gżira is the value pick a short walk away, and Swieqi is quieter up the hill. Avoid Paceville unless you want to be in the middle of the nightlife: clubs run until dawn and the streets are loud at weekends and all summer.
| Neighbourhood | Vibe | 1-bed / month | Best for | Getting around |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sliema seafront and Tower Road | The classic Sliema base: a long promenade, rocky swimming spots, cafes and apartment blocks facing the sea | $1,400-2,200 | First-timers who want the sea on the doorstep | Buses along Tower Road; walk to the Valletta ferry |
| Sliema Ferries and the Strand | The harbourside hub facing Valletta, with shops, the Point mall at Tigné and the main bus stops | $1,250-1,900 | Easy access to Valletta and the rest of the island | Ferry to Valletta; main bus interchange on the Strand |
| St Julian's and Spinola Bay | A pretty bay of fishing boats and restaurants, between Sliema and the nightlife district | $1,300-2,100 | A lively base with restaurants and the sea | Buses along the coast road; 20-minute walk to Sliema |
| Paceville | Malta's nightlife district of clubs, bars and late crowds; loud until dawn at weekends and all summer | $1,100-1,700 | Party lovers only; light sleepers should look elsewhere | Buses from St Julian's; walk to the Spinola and Sliema seafront |
| Gżira | A cheaper, more local strip along the Strand facing Manoel Island, with coworking spaces and older flats | $1,000-1,500 | Value close to Sliema | Buses along the Strand; 10-minute walk to Sliema Ferries |
| Swieqi | A quiet residential area on the hill above St Julian's, with newer apartments and some pools | $1,050-1,600 | Calm and space within walking distance of St Julian's | Local buses; 15-minute walk down to St Julian's |
Some people prefer to live in Valletta, across the harbour: it is quieter at night, more beautiful and full of history, but has fewer flats with air-conditioning and lifts, and you will take the ferry over to Sliema for coworking and the seafront.
Monthly rentals are listed by agencies such as Frank Salt and RE/MAX Malta, on Maltapark, Flatio and in Malta expat Facebook groups. Agencies usually charge the tenant a commission, and landlords ask for a deposit of one month. Long lets must be registered with the Housing Authority. Check the air-conditioning and ask about building work nearby before you sign.
Coworking Spaces#
Day passes cost about €25 to €30 and hot desks about €190 to €215 a month. The scene is densest along the Gżira, Sliema and St Julian’s strip. Prices below are as published by each space.
SOHO Office
Malta’s best-known local coworking operator, with three spaces along the Gżira and St Julian’s strip, a members’ lounge, gym access and a busy events programme.
Best for: A large, established community
SC Coliving Malta
A coliving and coworking campus in former British Navy buildings around a courtyard and pool, in quiet Pembroke just north of St Julian’s. Coworking passes are sold to non-residents too.
Best for: Community and coliving
Many cafes along the Sliema seafront and in St Julian’s welcome laptops outside the lunch rush, though seats with sockets are hard to find in summer.
Internet and SIM Cards#
Fibre is widespread: GO, Melita and Epic all sell home connections, and many furnished flats include internet in the rent. Ask for a speed test before you sign, as some older buildings are still on slower lines. For mobile, Epic, GO and Melita all cover the strip well with 5G, and prepaid SIMs are sold in their shops at the Point and on Tower Road. EU roaming rules apply.
Getting Around#
There is no metro or tram. Buses run along the coast road and link Sliema to Valletta, the airport and the rest of the island, but they are slow in traffic. A single fare is €2 in winter and €2.50 in summer; once you are a resident, a personalised Tallinja card makes buses free. The ferry from Sliema Ferries to Valletta costs €3 single and is the best way into the capital. Bolt, Uber and eCabs are cheap and widely used. Within the strip, walking the promenade from Sliema to St Julian’s is often quicker than any vehicle.
Weather and When to Go#
April to June and September to October are ideal: warm, sunny and good for swimming. July and August are hot and humid, often 32°C or more, and crowded with summer visitors and language students. Winters are mild, around 15 to 17°C by day, but windy and damp, with most rain from October to February. Many flats have no central heating, so bring layers.
Community and Meeting People#
Coworking events, Meetup and InterNations groups, the Malta digital nomad Facebook groups and the large iGaming expat scene make meeting people easy. Waterpolo clubs, sailing, diving schools and weekend boat trips to Comino are popular ways to make friends.
Health and Safety#
Malta is one of the safest countries in Europe. Watch your drinks and belongings in Paceville late at night, where fights break out, and take care crossing roads, as traffic is heavy and drivers are fast. Private clinics in Sliema and St Julian’s are good; carry health insurance, which the permit requires. In summer, stay out of the midday sun.
A Quieter Alternative: Gozo#
If the strip feels too crowded, Gozo, Malta’s sister island, is rural, slower and cheaper to rent, with fibre in the main towns. The Gozo Channel car ferry from Ċirkewwa takes about 25 minutes, and fast ferries run between Mġarr and Valletta. Expect a quieter social life and fewer coworking options.
Sliema and St Julian's Digital Nomad FAQs#
Is Sliema good for digital nomads?
Yes, if you can afford it. It has English everywhere, sun, the sea, fast fibre, a large international community and a nomad permit. The downsides are high rents, construction noise, traffic and little green space.
How much does it cost to live in Sliema as a nomad?
About $2,600 a month for a comfortable life with your own flat on the harbour strip, from about $1,800 on a budget if you live in Gżira or share. These are ballpark figures.
What is the best area of Malta for digital nomads?
Sliema seafront or Sliema Ferries for convenience, St Julian’s for restaurants and the bay, and Gżira for value. Avoid Paceville if you want to sleep.
How do I get Malta's Nomad Residence Permit?
Apply online through Residency Malta with proof of at least €42,000 a year in gross income from outside Malta, health insurance and a rental agreement. The fee is €300 per person.
Is Gozo better than Sliema for remote work?
Gozo suits people who want quiet, nature and lower rents. Sliema is better for coworking, meeting people and getting around.
Last reviewed October 2026. Prices and venues change: check before you commit to a month.