A family who left the UK for Malta now pays just £85 a month for energy, down from £1,100 in Scotland. Laura and Callum Anderson, both 42, moved abroad with their youngest daughter in October 2026 after their heating costs became unmanageable.
The couple swapped their £1,600-per-month four-bedroom farmhouse in Fife for a £2,500-per-month three-bedroom penthouse in Malta. Despite the higher rent, they save £1,251 each month because utilities, fuel, and other costs are lower, and there is no council tax.
Why the family left Scotland
Laura, a business owner now living in Naxxar, said the financial strain was severe. "If we weren't living in Malta we would have had to move out of our house," she explained. "It was £690 per month just for oil, with electricity on top of that, wood on top of that, it was £1,100 just to heat the house and put the lights on. Electricity is £85 per month here. We basically wanted to move to Malta to enjoy life."
The Andersons had previously lived in Malta from 2010 to 2013 after a relocation package tied to Callum's role as a recruitment consultant. They returned to Fife to build their own business, but after renewing their wedding vows in Malta in 2024, they decided to relocate permanently.
Health and wellbeing factors
Laura's health also influenced the move. After being diagnosed with PMDD in November 2023 - a serious form of premenstrual syndrome that can cause depression, anxiety, irritability, and fatigue - she turned to private healthcare after struggling to access NHS support. She said the "doom and gloom" of Scotland affected her mental health and prompted the family to take a "positive step" by moving.
"I was paying a fortune in tax and in private medical insurance," she said. "It makes me feel resentful at my own country and I don't want to feel like that because I love Scotland. Because of my PMDD I struggle a bit with my mental health and being in Scotland in the doom and gloom was not great for my mental health so we decided to make a positive step by moving."
Cost of living comparison
The family moved on digital nomad visas with their youngest daughter Mia, 17, while their eldest daughter Lucy, 20, stayed in the UK for university but visits regularly. Laura and Callum continue to run their sauna business from abroad, supported by a team in Scotland.
Laura noted several cost differences: car insurance in Scotland was £650 per month, fuel was £130 per week, and broadband and Wi-Fi cost £180 per month. In Malta, fuel costs £33 every two weeks and Wi-Fi is £25 per month. The family paid £750 for their visas.
They initially stayed in an Airbnb while house-hunting and now live in a three-bedroom penthouse. Laura said the "pressure to keep up with the Joneses" is less pronounced in Malta, and the family feels "really happy" with the decision. "Apart from missing our eldest daughter, we're not missing anything," she said. "I love Scotland and I'm more than happy to go back and visit but it was stifling and there's a lot of positivity here."
