Southern Malta · Investment Guide
Investing in Mqabba
A small southern village in Malta’s quarrying country, quiet and inexpensive to buy into.
- New homes approved, Q1 2026
- 33
- Promise of sale, Jun 2026
- 7
- Final deeds of sale, Jun 2026
- 2
- Busiest month for sales, Oct 2025
- 26
The case
Why investors buy in Mqabba
Mqabba is one of the smaller southern villages, set among the limestone quarries that have supplied Maltese building stone for centuries. It is compact, quiet and firmly domestic.
The market is local. Village housing changes hands between Maltese families, prices are low by national standards, and there is little of the expatriate or seasonal demand that shapes the coast.
The quarries are worth knowing about rather than being deterred by, since their effect is very localised. Beyond them the appeal is simple: space at a low price within reach of the south and the airport.
Find me an investment in MqabbaA few questions, then we do the looking.
The numbers
Market activity in Mqabba
Final deeds of sale
Completed sales in Mqabba have ranged from 1 to 26 a month since 2024. The past twelve months carried 112 in total, up from 48 in the twelve months before that.
Promise of sale agreements
Promise of sale agreements, the deals in progress ahead of a deed, have ranged from 1 to 36 a month. The past twelve months carried 78, up from 75 in the twelve months before that.
Source: National Statistics Office (Malta), residential property transactions.
The supply pipeline
How Mqabba compares
33 new dwellings were approved in Mqabba this quarter, 32nd of the 68 localities the National Statistics Office reported. That is a modest pipeline: most of what sells here will be existing stock rather than new build.
Sliema
322
St Paul's Bay
171
Birkirkara
154
Mosta
149
Qormi
126
Msida
120
Marsaskala
112
Mqabba
33
Source: National Statistics Office (Malta), residential building permits, Q1 2026.
Rental demand
Where the tenants are
Mqabba holds 0.22% of all active residential rent contracts in Malta, the 58th-highest of any locality, a small share, so the rental market here is thin next to the towns that dominate it.
St Paul's Bay
13.76%
Sliema
6.96%
Msida
6.03%
Marsaskala
4.46%
St Julian's
4.4%
Birkirkara
4.25%
Gżira
4.17%
Mqabba
0.22%
Source: Housing Authority (Malta), Malta Rent Calculator, H1 2026. Read from the published tool's own chart.
Buy-to-let
Investment-grade homes in Mqabba
Homes on the market now that suit a rental or resale strategy.
Costs & incentives
Tax, costs and residency
The rules and schemes that shape the return on a Maltese property investment.
Rental income tax
Rental income can be taxed at a flat 15% final withholding rate in Malta, a simple and competitive regime for landlords.
Residency by investment
Buying or leasing property can form part of Malta’s residency routes for non-EU investors, alongside the other requirements.
Short-let licensing
Short-term holiday letting is possible but licensed and regulated. Long-let is the simpler route for most investors.
Good to know
Investing in Mqabba, answered
Is Mqabba a good buy-to-let?
Modestly, and locally: this is a domestic market rather than a rental one. Mqabba accounts for 0.22% of Malta’s active residential rent contracts.
How active is the Mqabba property market?
Between January 2024 and June 2026 the National Statistics Office recorded 213 final deeds of sale and 231 promise of sale agreements in Mqabba, a monthly range of 1 to 26 completed sales. The busiest month in that window was Oct 2025, with 26.
Is much new build coming to Mqabba?
33 new dwellings were approved in Mqabba in the first quarter of 2026, 32nd of the 68 localities the National Statistics Office reported. New build is a modest part of this market, so most of what trades here is existing stock.
Can foreigners buy property in Mqabba?
Yes. Non-residents can buy in Malta, usually through an Acquisition of Immovable Property permit, though many apartments in designated areas are exempt and Special Designated Areas carry no restriction at all. We can confirm the position for any specific property in Mqabba.
What are the total costs of buying?
As a rule of thumb, budget around 5% stamp duty plus notary fees, searches and any agency or legal fees. Off-plan and first-time purchases may qualify for reduced duty, so check the grants and schemes for the reliefs that currently apply. The calculator above works the figures through for a given price.
Compare Mqabba
Mqabba side by side
The same published figures, set against the towns a buyer is most likely to weigh Mqabba against.