In short
Riga is the cheaper capital: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,390 a month, against about €2,140 in Valletta. Latvia offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Malta offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Every figure below is checked against official sources.
The verdict
Which Country Fits You?
Where one side is clearly better for most Americans, it gets the point — the rest depends on your plans.
Choose Latvia if…
- You want residence through investment and want the lower bar: Golden visa — €50,000 share capital in a Latvian company + €10,000 state fee; other routes closed in 2026.
- You want lower costs — about €750 a month less for a single person with a central 1-bedroom in Riga.
- You have a job offer — the EU Blue Card salary bar is lower: €2,723 a month (€2,178 for shortage jobs).
- You will run a company — corporate tax is 20% on distributed profit only — 0% on retained profit.
Choose Malta if…
- You qualify for a special tax regime: non-dom: foreign income taxed only if brought to Malta (€5,000 minimum tax).
- You work remotely and want the lower bar: Digital nomad visa — €42,000 a year; tax-free for 12 months, then 10%.
- You are a founder: Start-Up Residence — backed by Malta Enterprise, €25,000 capital.
Investor Residence
Latvia's Golden Visa Starts Lower
| Latvia | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| Golden (investor) visa | Latvia€50,000 share capital in a Latvian company + €10,000 state fee; other routes closed in 2026✓ | MaltaPermanent residence (MPRP) — about €99,000 in fees plus €375,000 property or rent |
| Retirement / passive-income visa | LatviaPensioner permit — pension at least €1,231 a month (2026); private health insurance | MaltaMalta Retirement Programme — pension at least 75% of income; 15% tax, minimum €7,500 |
| Founders & startups | LatviaStartup founder permit, kept and widened by the 2026 law | MaltaStart-Up Residence — backed by Malta Enterprise, €25,000 capital |
Cost of Living
Riga Is About €750 a Month Cheaper
| Latvia | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment, city centre | Latviaabout €520 (Riga)✓ | Maltaabout €1,263 (Valletta) |
| 1-bed apartment, outside centre | Latviaabout €345 (Riga)✓ | Maltaabout €993 (Valletta) |
| Everyday costs, single person (no rent) | Latviaabout €870 (Riga) | Maltaabout €880 (Valletta) |
| Total a month — single, central 1-bed | Latviaabout €1,390 (Riga)✓ | Maltaabout €2,140 (Valletta) |
Living costs: Numbeo estimates for the capital (2026), as shown with sources on each city guide and in the key facts below.
Settling In
Permanent Residence, Citizenship & Healthcare
| Latvia | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence | LatviaAfter 5 years, with A2 Latvian and a culture course | MaltaEU long-term residence after 5 years; MPRP gives it from the start |
| Public healthcare | LatviaState-funded care only for people working in Latvia and permanent residents | MaltaFree public care if you pay Maltese social security; nomad, retiree and MPRP holders need private cover |
Tax & Business
Taxes & Company Rules
| Latvia | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | Latvia25.5% up to €105,300 a year, 33% above | Malta0% up to €12,000, then 15–35% |
| Special tax regime | LatviaNone | MaltaNon-dom: foreign income taxed only if brought to Malta (€5,000 minimum tax)✓ |
| Usual company | LatviaSIA — €2,800 capital, or from €1 for a small-capital SIA | MaltaLtd — €1,164.69 capital (20% paid up); no notary |
| Corporate tax | Latvia20% on distributed profit only — 0% on retained profit✓ | Malta35% headline, about 5% net after shareholder refunds |
| US tax treaty | LatviaUS–Latvia treaty in force | MaltaTreaty since 2011; no Social Security agreement |
US citizens & Green Card holdersThe US still taxes you
Wherever you live, the US taxes its citizens on worldwide income. You keep filing a US return, and an FBAR once your foreign accounts total more than $10,000 at any time in the year.
Daily Life
Daily Life in Riga and Valletta
| Latvia | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| Population (capital) | LatviaAbout 589,000 (2026) | MaltaMalta about 588,000, 31% foreign nationals |
| Public transport (capital) | LatviaMonthly pass €30 | MaltaFree buses for residents with a personalised card |
| Currency | LatviaEuro | MaltaEuro |
FAQ
Latvia or Malta? Your questions
Is Riga or Valletta cheaper?
Riga is cheaper: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,390 a month there, against about €2,140 in Valletta (Numbeo, 2026). Rent for a central 1-bedroom is about €520 in Riga and €1,263 in Valletta.
How much do the Latvia and Malta golden visas cost?
Latvia: €50,000 share capital in a Latvian company + €10,000 state fee; other routes closed in 2026. Malta: Permanent residence (MPRP) — about €99,000 in fees plus €375,000 property or rent.
Do I still pay US taxes if I move?
Yes. The US taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. You keep filing a US return, and an FBAR once your foreign accounts total more than $10,000. Foreign tax credits and the treaties usually prevent paying twice on the same income.
Latvia vs Malta: key factsLast verified 27 September 2026
| Latvia: 1-bed apartment | about €345/month (range €280–450) estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Riga (Sep 2026) |
|---|---|
| Latvia: 1-bed apartment | about €520/month (range €400–600) estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Riga (Sep 2026) |
| Latvia: Living costs, single person | about €870/month without rent estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Riga (Sep 2026) |
| Malta: Rent | 1-bedroom in Valletta about €1,263 a month in the centre (€993 outside); Sliema about €1,564; Gozo about €813 (Numbeo, 2026) Source: Cost of Living in Valletta (Numbeo) · Cost of Living in Sliema (Numbeo) · Cost of Living in Gozo (Numbeo) |
| Malta: Living costs | A single person spends about €880 a month without rent in Valletta (Numbeo, June 2026) — about €2,140 with a central 1-bedroom Source: Cost of Living in Valletta (Numbeo) |
| Latvia: Share capital investment | €50,000 (company with ≤50 staff and ≤€10m turnover or balance) Source: PMLP: Share capital investor |
| Malta: Permanent residence by investment (MPRP) | €60,000 admin fee, €37,000 contribution, €2,000 donation, plus a €375,000 property purchase or €14,000/year rent for 5 years; assets of €500,000 (€650,000 with fewer financial assets) Source: BDO Malta: MPRP amendments · KPMG Malta (licensed agent): MPRP · Dixcart: MPRP key facts |
| Latvia: Pensioner permit: minimum pension | €1,231/month personal, regular pension (from 1 Apr 2026) Source: PMLP: Necessary means of subsistence (from 1 Apr 2026) |
| Malta: Malta Retirement Programme | Pension at least 75% of your taxable income; 15% tax on pension remitted to Malta, minimum €7,500 a year (+€500 per dependant); €2,500 fee; at least 90 days a year in Malta (rules until end-2026) Source: CSB Group: MRP · CSB Group: Malta tax residence programmes from 2027 |
| Latvia: Startup founder permit | Kept and widened by the new law (only high terrorism-risk countries excluded) Source: PMLP: New Immigration Law, main changes and requirements (LV) |
| Malta: Start-Up Residence | For non-EU founders backed by Malta Enterprise: at least €25,000 paid-up capital, 3-year permit renewable for 5 years, €750 fee per applicant Source: Malta Start-Up Residence Programme (Forvis Mazars) |
| Latvia: Permanent residence | After 5 years on a temporary permit, with Latvian at A2 level and a culture and history course Source: PMLP: New Immigration Law takes effect, key changes · LV portāls: New Immigration Law in force (official publisher) |
| Malta: Long-term residence | EU long-term resident status after 5 years of legal residence Source: EUR-Lex Directive 2003/109/EC |
| Latvia: Healthcare | Private health insurance needed; state-funded care covers only people working in Latvia and permanent residents Source: Health Care Financing Law, likumi.lv |
| Malta: Healthcare | Free public healthcare for people paying Maltese social security; permit holders on the Nomad, GRP, retirement and MPRP routes need private health insurance Source: Malta EESSI healthcare info |
| Latvia: Personal income tax | 25.5% up to €105,300/year, 33% above Source: State Revenue Service: personal income tax rates |
| Malta: Income tax | Residents pay 0–35%: 0% up to €12,000, then 15%, 25% and 35% above €60,000 (single, 2026) Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Malta — individual taxes |
| Malta: Non-domiciled residents | Foreign income is taxed only if brought to Malta; a €5,000 minimum tax applies if foreign income is €35,000 or more Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Malta — individual taxes |
| Latvia: Minimum share capital | €2,800 (or from €1 for a small-capital SIA) Source: Register of Enterprises: share capital · Register of Enterprises: small-capital SIA |
| Malta: Usual company type | Private limited company (Ltd): minimum capital €1,164.69, at least 20% paid up; 1 director, a company secretary (an individual) and a registered office in Malta; no notary Source: Registering a business in Malta: guide (Mondaq, 2026 update) · The role of the Company Secretary under Maltese Law (BDO Malta) · MBR: Registration and fee structure |
| Latvia: Corporate income tax | 20% on distributed profit (= 25% of the net dividend) Source: Corporate Income Tax Law, likumi.lv · State Revenue Service: corporate income tax |
| Malta: Corporate tax | 35%, but shareholders can claim a 6/7 refund of the tax on distributed trading profits — about 5% net; 5/7 for passive interest and royalties (about 10%) Source: Malta Tax Highlights 2026 (Deloitte) · Malta Tax System (KPMG Malta) |
| Latvia: US–Latvia tax treaty | In force Source: IRS: Latvia tax treaty documents |
| Malta: US tax treaty | The US–Malta income tax treaty has applied since 1 January 2011; the saving clause keeps US taxation of citizens Source: IRS: Malta tax treaty documents |
| Latvia: Riga population | 589,000 (start of 2026) Source: Official Statistics Portal: population at the start of 2026 |
| Malta: Population | 588,254 at the end of 2025, of whom 31.1% are foreign nationals Source: NSO Malta: World Population Day 2026 · Malta's population rose to 588,254 by end 2025: NSO (MaltaToday, Jul 2026) |
| Latvia: Public transport pass (Riga) | €30 per month Source: Rīgas satiksme: monthly ticket |
| Malta: Public transport | Free buses (and the Valletta ferries) for residents with a personalised tallinja card since October 2022 Source: Free Travel Scheme with effect from 1 October 2022 (Malta Public Transport) · Tallinja Ferry Service (Malta Public Transport) |
Go deeper
The full guides
Across Europe
Every guide and comparison
- OverviewMove to Europe
- CountriesAll 29 Countries
- LivingExpat Guides
- RetirementRetire by Country
- CitiesBest Cities to Live In
- BusinessCompany Formation
- FoundersStartup Visas
- InvestorsGolden Visas
- Remote workDigital Nomad Visas
- RetirementRetirement Visas
- CitizenshipCitizenship by Descent
- CostsCost of Living
- HealthHealthcare
- TaxTax Residency
- PetsMoving with Pets
- DrivingUS Driver's License
- PropertyBuying Property
- EducationStudy in Europe
- SafetySafety & Stability
- WorkWork-Life Balance
- TravelTravel & Schengen
- LifestyleLifestyle
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