Three Countries, One Question: Where Does Your Life Belong?
You are tired of your German, Austrian or Swiss tax advisor. You want to keep more of what you earn. You are thinking about a fresh start – somewhere with sunshine, manageable bureaucracy, and a tax authority that does not take its cut at every turn.
Three names keep coming up in this conversation: Georgia. Dubai. Malta.
All three have real advantages. But they are not the same – and for most people, only one is truly the right fit. This article helps you compare them honestly.
Taxes: The Numbers at a Glance
Let us start with the reason most people are looking in the first place.
Georgia operates on the territorial principle: only income from Georgian sources is taxed. Freelancers and service providers who serve clients abroad while living in Georgia can reduce their tax rate to just 1% of turnover through the Small Business Status, which applies up to an annual turnover of 500,000 Georgian Lari (around €175,000). IT companies can register as a Virtual Zone entity and pay 0% corporate tax on foreign revenue. Reinvested profits remain tax-free – Georgia follows the Estonian model: tax is only due when profits are distributed, at a rate of 15%.
Dubai remains enticing: private individuals pay 0% income tax – no salary, no dividend, no capital gain is taxed. Since 2023, however, a corporate tax of 9% applies to profits above approximately $100,000. Those operating a Free Zone company with exclusively qualifying foreign income can still achieve 0% corporate tax – but only under substance requirements that are becoming increasingly strict.
Malta works through a refund system: companies formally pay 35% corporate tax, but through a holding structure, up to 6/7 of that tax can be reclaimed, bringing the effective rate down to around 5%. For private individuals with Non-Domiciled status, foreign income that is not remitted to Malta remains tax-free. However, there is an annual minimum tax of €15,000.
Cost of Living: What Actually Remains?
Low taxes matter little if life itself is expensive.
Georgia is unbeatable here. A modern two-bedroom apartment in central Tbilisi costs between €500 and €900 per month. A good dinner for two: €15–25. Coworking from €100 per month. The total budget for a comfortable expat life is often €1,500–2,500 – including everything.
Dubai is the exact opposite. Rents have risen sharply since 2022 – a decent two-bedroom apartment in a good location easily costs €2,500–4,000 per month. Add to that high costs for schools, health insurance, restaurant visits with alcohol, and transport. Someone truly living well in Dubai can spend €6,000–10,000 per month – sometimes considerably more.
Malta sits in the middle. Realistic rent for a good apartment runs €1,200–2,000, and the general price level matches the southern European average. Malta is no bargain – but significantly more affordable than Dubai.
Lifestyle & Culture: Where Do You Feel at Home?
This is the factor many people underestimate – and the one that becomes decisive after a few months.
Georgia surprises. Those who expect a small, underdeveloped country will be proven wrong by Tbilisi: a vibrant old town, excellent restaurants, a creative and international community, and extraordinary nature just minutes away. Georgians have a warmth that cannot be manufactured. The culture is rich, the history thousands of years old, the wine legendary. Anyone open to something genuinely new will love Georgia.
Dubai offers luxury – polished to a high gloss. Everything is new, everything is large, everything is efficient. As a Western European, you are welcome as long as you consume and respect the rules. Cultural depth is hard to find. Alcohol is permitted but expensive and restricted. Women face unspoken expectations regarding dress and behavior. Freedom in the European sense – freedom of speech, social openness, political pluralism – does not exist. Many describe Dubai as a place where you work well and earn well – but do not really live.
Malta feels familiar: European law, EU membership, English as an official language, a Mediterranean way of life. The island is small – what begins as coziness can feel confining after a few months. Infrastructure is solid, the international expat community well-connected, and the bureaucracy occasionally sluggish.
Georgia is the clear choice for freelancers, digital nomads, and entrepreneurs who want to live affordably and simply while paying next to nothing in taxes – and discover an extraordinary culture and genuine hospitality along the way.
Dubai makes sense primarily for high earners who value luxury living, have substantial company profits, and can live with the cultural restrictions.
Malta is the best choice for those who need EU legal certainty, do not want to compromise on European living standards, and are prepared to accept a moderate tax burden.
