Real estate · Malta

Real estate in Mosta: homes and areas

A large, mostly Maltese town in the middle of the island, built around its famous domed church, and far less densely built than the harbour towns.

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Living in Mosta

Mosta sits on a plain in the centre of Malta's main island, surrounded by what is left of its farmland, with the valley of Wied il-Għasel and the Victoria Lines fortifications on its northern side. It is the third-largest locality in Malta, after St Paul's Bay and Birkirkara. Its landmark is the Rotunda, a church with one of the largest unsupported domes in the world, which a German bomb pierced during Mass on 9 April 1942 without exploding.

It is more Maltese than the coastal towns: at the end of 2025 fewer than one resident in five was a foreign citizen, according to the NSO. The town grew fast in the late 20th century as new housing estates spread over the fields around the old centre, and it has a busy commercial core along its main streets and an industrial and technology park, the Mosta Technopark, on its edge.

Mosta lies on the main road from Valletta to the north of the island and the Gozo ferry at Ċirkewwa, and a lot of north–south traffic passes through its centre, especially along Constitution Street. Buses to Buġibba, Mellieħa and Ċirkewwa run through the town and are free for residents with a personalised tallinja card, but the estates on the outskirts are spread out and many trips are easier by car.

The housing is more varied than in Sliema or St Julian's. At the 2021 census about four in ten households lived in a flat or penthouse, about a quarter in a maisonette and more than a quarter in a terraced house, with a small number of detached and semi-detached houses and villas. Mosta has no Special Designated Area, so the standard rules for foreign buyers apply.

Population
25,845 (2025)

Source: NSO Malta, World Population Day: 11 July 2026 (NR 120/2026), Tables 11 and 12: population by broad citizenship and locality, and population density by locality, as at 31 December 2025 (Il-Mosta)

Neighbourhoods

Town centre and the Rotunda
The old core around the Rotunda square and Constitution Street, with shops, cafés and the health centre. Busy with through traffic during the day.
Santa Margerita
One of the housing estates built in the late 20th century on the outskirts, largely residential, with two Bronze Age dolmens.
Iż-Żokrija
A housing estate from the same period of growth, with a state secondary school.
Tal-Blata l-Għolja and Ta’ Mlit
Two more of the housing estates that grew around the old town from the late 20th century, largely residential.
Tarġa Gap and Wied il-Għasel
The town's northern edge along the Victoria Lines, near the Ta' Bistra catacombs and the Wied il-Għasel valley with its walking paths and cave chapel. The greenest edge of town.
Bidnija
A small rural hamlet between Mosta, St Paul’s Bay and Mġarr, known for its ancient olive trees, for those who want countryside close to town.

Practical information

  • Airport: Malta International Airport at Luqa is reached by bus route 214, which runs through Mosta, or by car.
  • Getting around: buses from Valletta to the north of the island and the Ċirkewwa ferry to Gozo pass through Mosta. Buses are free for residents with a personalised tallinja card.
  • Schools: QSI International School of Malta, an English-language international school from pre-school to secondary, is in Mosta, alongside state primary and secondary schools.
  • Healthcare: the Mosta Health Centre on the Rotunda square is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and serves much of the north of Malta. Mater Dei Hospital in Msida is the main public hospital.

Frequently asked questions

How many people live in Mosta?

At the end of 2025 Mosta had 25,845 residents, according to Malta's National Statistics Office (NSO), making it the third-largest locality in Malta.

How does Mosta compare with the coastal towns?

It is more Maltese and less built-up: fewer foreign residents, more households in houses and maisonettes than in flats, an international school in town and a round-the-clock health centre. The trade-offs are heavy traffic through the centre and a drive to the sea.

Can foreigners buy property in Mosta?

EU citizens who have lived in Malta for five years can buy freely, and EU citizens buying their main home do not need a permit either. Other buyers, including non-EU citizens, need an AIP permit, because Mosta has no Special Designated Area.

Do I need a car in Mosta?

Usually, yes. Buses connect Mosta with Valletta, the north and the airport, but the estates on the outskirts are spread out, and the coast is a drive away.

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