Cyprus vs Malta
Company formation costs side by side
EntityPrivate limited company (Ltd)Private limited company (Ltd)
Legal minimum, year 1£2,257£2,695
Legal minimum, per year after£1,217£1,385
Typical year 1£4,232£5,653
Government fee£140 (About €165 registrar fees)£210 (From €245 (scales with capital))
Indirect setup£900 to 2,150£1,100 to 3,200
Running per year£1,217 to 3,917£1,385 to 5,200
Share capitalNone (€1,000 typical)€1,165 (20% paid up)
Time to form1 to 3 weeks1 to 2 weeks
AuditMandatory for all companiesMandatory for all companies
DirectorsNo legal requirement, but Cypriot directors usually needed for tax residenceNo legal requirement; local directors usual for substance
Remote formationRemote via a Cyprus lawyer, who must sign the articlesRemote via a corporate service provider
Corporation tax15% from 1 Jan 2026 (was 12.5%)35% headline; about 5% effective after shareholder refund
Dividend withholding0% to non-residents (5% to low-tax countries)0%
VAT/GST19%18%
Foreign owner ease3 of 52 of 5
Banking2 of 5. Bank accounts for foreign-owned companies take 4 to 8 weeks1 of 5. Bank accounts take 6 to 12 weeks and are often refused
Data statusCheckedIndicative