Moving to Malta

Hi ,

Welcome to the forum.

What questions do you have?

I think you can forget the pharmacist in Malta. There is one on every corner and about 300 more coming , mostly owner run.

English teaching  is much more promising - at least in the summer season.

Cheers
Ricky

Hi Ricky,

Thanks for the reply.  Don't worry about the pharmacy!  It was never my intention to go back to that.  24 years of it in central London was enough for me!  The problem(s) I have here in Puglia are manifold!  Primarily, there is a genetic necessity to avoid tax.  The consequence being that it is almost impossible to find a job which provides a "contract".  I am used to a system where a person pays their tax and contributions to provide for and benefit all.  I am working at the moment but it is sporadic and under the prevailing conditions!
I am coming to Malta next month to visit for a week to check things out a bit more.  I would be looking to buy a property.  I don't think this is a difficult process.  However, I would probably need to try to make the property work for me!  ie bed and breakfast.  I have been looking on the net and property prices don't seem to be too bad.  However, is it hard to get the certification for a B&B?  Also, do you have a good web-link relating to importation of dogs and cats into Malta?  I brought my dog from the UK and it cost me £3000!  Also, the cost of basics concerns me.  For example, gas electricity and water.  Where I live now I have no mains water.  We collect the rain water and buy drinking water.  Electricity here is the most expensive in Europe and the cost of GPL is about to increase by upto 50%!  I have been researching the use of solar and pv in Malta and there seem to be grants.  However, what are(is) the electricty company like in Malta?  Many thanks

tabu63 wrote:

Also, the cost of basics concerns me.  For example, gas electricity and water. ... However, what are(is) the electricty company like in Malta?

Good cheap utilities are not one of Malta's key selling points.  Electricity is supplied by Enemalta and water by the Water Services Commission.  (There is no mains gas, though cylinders can be bought.)  I don't have comparative figures, but the utility companies are widely regarded as expensive.  Reasons include that (a) they have no competition, (b) they are arguably fairly unreformed old-style state corporations, (c) there are diseconomies of scale in running small operations on a little island, (d) there are some specific local difficulties (eg much water has to be produced through desalination which is costly), and (e) consumer prices used to be subsidised and now generally aren't, which may be right in principle but isn't always welcomed.

electricity prices are comparable to elsewhere in EU, water prices much higher as over half is generated via reverse osmosis from sea water. Gas is cheap v bottled gas prices elsewhere, but expensive if you compare to mains gas prices

"Domestic electricity in Malta was the fifth costliest within the EU, according to a new study for 2009.
Maltese consumers paid 25 per cent above the EU average for 100 kWh of electricity..."

source: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/vi … hest-in-eu

Malta electricity tariffs changes in January 2010 - my take is they became more expensive, but it probably depends upon your individual usage profile.

Regards
Tim

Tha headline for that article is very lazy journalism.

If you read the article its not the 5th highest in the EU, but the 5th highest adjusted for different cost of living - as Malta has below average wages, this increases the cost of electricity on an adjusted basis. On a simple cost per KWh, Malta is comparable to the average.

"Tha headline for that article is very lazy journalism. "

misspelled comments like that are why I love this blog... 

George you need to come over next time we meet for a pint 

KWH for malta are 16-62 kwph ( depending on usage ) according to the sunday times....

I am just thankful they are specific on the issue.

me3512 wrote:

George you need to come over next time we meet for a pint 

I only go to Malta when I have to go to the airport, and then as quickly as possible......

you like gozo that much or is coming to Malta just a big hastle?