{"id":9509,"date":"2025-08-21T12:22:50","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T10:22:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/?p=9509"},"modified":"2025-08-22T13:48:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T11:48:13","slug":"korttids-vs-langtidsleje-pa-malta-hvor-er-det-smart-at-tjene-penge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/short-term-vs-long-term-rentals-in-malta-wheres-the-smart-money\/","title":{"rendered":"Korttids- vs. langtidsleje p\u00e5 Malta: Hvor er de smarte penge?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you own a flat in Malta, you\u2019ve probably wrestled with the classic landlord dilemma: <strong>play it long and steady, or short and spicy?<\/strong> And yes, we\u2019re talking rentals here \u2014 though the analogy to relationships isn\u2019t far off. A long-term let (LTR) offers steady rent, fewer headaches, and (usually) fewer stag parties trashing the place. A short-term let (STR), powered by Airbnb and Booking.com, dangles the lure of fatter nightly rates \u2014 but only if you can keep those bookings rolling in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using <strong>AirDNA data for Malta (2025)<\/strong>, we looked at advertised STRs and compared them against listed LTRs, adjusting for realistic occupancy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>LTRs at 90% occupancy<\/strong> (allowing for voids, turnover, and the occasional awkward repair).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>STRs at 60% occupancy<\/strong> (nobody runs at 100%, unless you\u2019re handing out free cocktails at the door).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We analysed <strong>hundreds of properties across Malta and Gozo<\/strong>, slicing by region and bedrooms. The goal: to see which strategy brings in the most bang for your euro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"str-yield-up-to-20-in-gozo\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">STR Yield up to 20% in Gozo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s where it gets crunchy. A few highlights from the tables (all yields annualised, % of property value):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table has-small-font-size\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Region<\/th><th>Property<\/th><th>LTR Yield (90%)<\/th><th>STR Yield (Median, 60%)<\/th><th>Winner<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Central<\/td><td>1-bed<\/td><td>4.4%<\/td><td>6.8%<\/td><td>STR (modest edge)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Central<\/td><td>3-bed<\/td><td>4.0%<\/td><td>13.2%<\/td><td>STR (big winner)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Gozo<\/td><td>1-bed<\/td><td>5.4%<\/td><td>20.3%<\/td><td>STR (if you can stand ferry delays)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Gozo<\/td><td>3-bed<\/td><td>4.3%<\/td><td>7.6%<\/td><td>STR (but slim margin)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>North<\/td><td>2-bed<\/td><td>4.4%<\/td><td>8.2%<\/td><td>STR<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sliema\/St Julian\u2019s<\/td><td>2-bed<\/td><td>2.9%<\/td><td>5.6%<\/td><td>STR, but underwhelming<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>South<\/td><td>2-bed<\/td><td>5.0%<\/td><td>8.8%<\/td><td>STR, quietly strong<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"on-average-strs-deliver-double-the-returns-v-ltr-yield\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">On Average STRs Deliver Double the Returns V LTR Yield<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"515\" src=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-1024x515.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9510\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-1024x515.png 1024w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-768x386.png 768w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-1536x772.png 1536w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-2048x1029.png 2048w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-18x9.png 18w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-380x191.png 380w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-550x276.png 550w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-800x402.png 800w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4-1160x583.png 1160w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-4.png 2348w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Malta: LTR (90%) vs STR (60%) Yields by Region and Size &#8211; Expatax Malta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On average across Malta, LTRs deliver around 4% yield, while STRs at 60% occupancy return 8\u20139% \u2014 roughly double. Lets take a closer look at the disparity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Gozo in a league of its own<\/strong><br>One-bed units in Gozo churn out yields above <strong>20% at 60% occupancy<\/strong>, with two-beds not far behind at <strong>17%<\/strong>. That\u2019s several times stronger than the 4\u20135% offered by long-lets. The catch? The island only has a handful of listings \u2014 scarcity magnifies the returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Central 3-beds: unicorn territory<\/strong><br>In Central Malta, 3-beds post yields of around <strong>13%<\/strong>, but our sample size was too small to be statistically reliable. It\u2019s best seen as an outlier rather than a trend, though it does hint at the kind of upside landlords can capture at the top end of the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sliema\/St Julian\u2019s paradox<\/strong><br>Despite being Malta\u2019s most glamorous and tourist-heavy market, Sliema and St Julian\u2019s underperform. One- and two-beds barely scrape <strong>5\u20136% yields<\/strong>, dragged down by oversupply, so landlords compete for guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>South: quietly steady<\/strong><br>Often overlooked, the South holds its ground with yields in the <strong>7\u20139% range<\/strong> across most property sizes. Nothing flashy, but solid and reliable compared to its better-known neighbours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>North: middle of the road<\/strong><br>The North delivers middling yields \u2014 decent on 2-beds (<strong>~8%<\/strong>) but otherwise unremarkable. Its strength is balance: a healthier mix of unit sizes that cater to families and longer stays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Long-lets: dull but dependable<\/strong><br>LTRs sit almost everywhere between <strong>4% and 5%<\/strong>, regardless of size or region. They\u2019re the safe option, the equivalent of a savings account: predictable, and steady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The real oddity<\/strong><br>Gozo feels like it\u2019s playing a different game entirely \u2014 cheap property, strong demand, and limited competition combine to leave the rest of Malta trailing behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"central-malta-3-bed-short-lets-brings-in-around-e4200-a-month\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Central Malta: 3-bed Short Lets brings in around <strong>\u20ac4,200 a month<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"508\" src=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-1024x508.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9511\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-1024x508.png 1024w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-768x381.png 768w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-1536x762.png 1536w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-2048x1016.png 2048w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-18x9.png 18w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-380x188.png 380w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-550x273.png 550w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-800x397.png 800w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5-1160x575.png 1160w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-5.png 2379w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Malta: Median Monthly Revenue &#8211; LTR vs STR &#8211; Expatax Malta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In <strong>Central Malta<\/strong>, the revenue gap is striking. A 3-bed STR brings in around <strong>\u20ac4,200 a month at 60% occupancy<\/strong>, compared with just <strong>\u20ac1,300 for an LTR<\/strong>. Even the smaller units hold their own: a 2-bed STR nets about <strong>\u20ac2,200<\/strong>, well ahead of the <strong>\u20ac1,200<\/strong> from a long-let.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Gozo<\/strong> is even more dramatic. A 1-bed STR earns roughly <strong>\u20ac2,900 versus \u20ac775 LTR<\/strong>, and a 2-bed pulls in <strong>\u20ac2,850 compared to \u20ac850<\/strong>. With property prices lower on the island, the cash-flow uplift looks outrageous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>North<\/strong> sits somewhere in the middle. A 2-bed STR averages <strong>\u20ac2,250<\/strong>, against <strong>\u20ac1,200 for an LTR<\/strong>. It\u2019s a healthy premium, though less explosive than Gozo or Central.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <strong>Sliema\/St Julian\u2019s<\/strong>, STRs perform well on paper \u2014 a 2-bed clears <strong>\u20ac2,700 vs \u20ac1,400 LTR<\/strong>, and a 3-bed pushes <strong>\u20ac3,200<\/strong>. But the region\u2019s high property costs take the shine off those numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>South<\/strong> is steady rather than spectacular. A 2-bed STR earns about <strong>\u20ac2,100 compared to \u20ac1,200 LTR<\/strong>, while 3-beds sit at <strong>\u20ac2,000 vs \u20ac1,200<\/strong>. The margins here are narrower than elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\"><strong>Overall<\/strong>, STRs consistently outpace LTRs in monthly income, but the size of the advantage varies sharply by location \u2014 with Gozo the clear runaway winner.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/malta-property-market-2025-yields-under-pressure\/\">Malta Property Market 2025: Yields Under Pressure<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"8000-active-strs-in-malta\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"> <strong>8,000+ Active STRs<\/strong> in Malta.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in early 2020, AirDNA recorded roughly <strong>11,330 active Airbnb rental listings<\/strong> across Malta, dippBack in early <strong>2020<\/strong>, AirDNA counted around <strong>11,300 active listings<\/strong> across Malta (dropping to just over 10,000 as the pandemic hit). Now, the most recent sources (InsideAirbnb, Airbtics, AirROI) put the total closer to <strong>8,000+ active entire-home STRs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So despite tourism having fully recovered, the <strong>number of listings is actually lower today than pre-COVID<\/strong>. A few likely reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Market saturation in hotspots<\/strong> like Sliema\/St Julian\u2019s, pushing weaker operators out..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Regulatory tightening<\/strong> (MTA licensing rules and Planning Authority oversight).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Host attrition<\/strong> during the pandemic \u2014 many landlords switched back to long-lets and never returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rising property prices<\/strong> making STR less compelling for new entrants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"just-4-months-of-short-lets-can-match-a-full-year-of-long-let-income\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Just 4 Months of Short-lets can Match a Full Year of Long-let Income<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"508\" src=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-1024x508.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9538\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-1024x508.png 1024w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-768x381.png 768w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-1536x762.png 1536w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-2048x1016.png 2048w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-18x9.png 18w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-380x188.png 380w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-550x273.png 550w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-800x397.png 800w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9-1160x575.png 1160w, https:\/\/expatax.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/output-9.png 2379w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This chart shows how many nights you\u2019d need to rent a short-let to make the same as a long-let that\u2019s occupied almost all year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sliema\/St Julian\u2019s:<\/strong> Similar at <strong>90\u2013100 nights<\/strong>, but with so many listings on the market, competition makes filling those nights tougher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Central Malta:<\/strong> A 1-bed needs about <strong>115 nights<\/strong> (31%) to match an LTR, while a 3-bed only needs <strong>55 nights<\/strong> (15%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Gozo:<\/strong> The standout. A 1-bed needs just <strong>47 nights<\/strong>, and a 2-bed about <strong>52\u201355 nights<\/strong>. In other words, one good summer season could cover the whole year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>North &amp; South:<\/strong> Most units need <strong>90\u2013105 nights<\/strong>. That\u2019s roughly 3\u20134 busy months of bookings to keep pace with a long-let.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">Overall, the message is clear: most STRs don\u2019t need to be booked solid to beat a long-let rentals. With breakeven points as low as <strong>13% in Gozo<\/strong> and rarely above <strong>30% anywhere else<\/strong>, the odds are firmly stacked in favour of short-lets \u2014 provided you can manage the extra hassle.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"short-term-rentals-win-on-yields\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Short Term Rentals Win on Yields<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For landlords weighing up the choice, the maths is clear: <strong>short-term rentals can deliver far higher returns than long-term lets, and at surprisingly low occupancy levels<\/strong>. In many cases, you only need to fill the place a quarter of the time to beat the steady but modest long-let income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, STRs aren\u2019t a free ride. They bring <strong>cleaning bills, higher utility costs, and a steady stream of guest queries<\/strong> (\u201chow do I work the remote?\u201d). On top of that, guests usually expect more than a long-term tenant would \u2014 <strong>fresh linen, fast Wi-Fi, and everything working perfectly from day one.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So while <strong>LTRs are the steady plodders<\/strong> &#8211; low drama, dependable income &#8211; <strong>STRs are the flashier cousins<\/strong>: more effort, more upkeep, but also a lot more money in the right locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"further-reads\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further Reads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-expatax-malta wp-block-embed-expatax-malta\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"NOcSKoaiO8\"><a href=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/malta-property-market-2025-yields-under-pressure\/\">Malta Property Market 2025: Yields Under Pressure<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Malta Property Market 2025: Yields Under Pressure&#8221; &#8212; Expatax Malta\" src=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/malta-property-market-2025-yields-under-pressure\/embed\/#?secret=HV2oLX1nqb#?secret=NOcSKoaiO8\" data-secret=\"NOcSKoaiO8\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-expatax-malta wp-block-embed-expatax-malta\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Vfue5yFDlg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/exclusive-malta-and-gozo-property-prices\/\">[EXCLUSIVE] Malta and Gozo Property: Prices Soared by up to 70% Between 2020 and 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;[EXCLUSIVE] Malta and Gozo Property: Prices Soared by up to 70% Between 2020 and 2025&#8221; &#8212; Expatax Malta\" src=\"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/exclusive-malta-and-gozo-property-prices\/embed\/#?secret=kO0qqLidCB#?secret=Vfue5yFDlg\" data-secret=\"Vfue5yFDlg\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kortsigtet betyder h\u00f8jere husleje, langsigtet betyder stabile penge - s\u00e5 hvilken udlejningsstrategi vinder p\u00e5 Malta?","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_appearance_masonry":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9509","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-property","8":"cs-entry","9":"cs-video-wrap"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9509"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9540,"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9509\/revisions\/9540"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}