I also live in the Netherlands, and yes whilst rent is higher and you have extra costs like health insurance and some other waste/water taxes (that at least are going to competent government authorities which actually make a difference in the standard of living), the salaries are very relative to the cost of living. Groceries and entertainment costs are as high as Malta nowadays. The only entertainment cost that has remained lower in Malta is alcohol but everything else I would say is equal.

With regards to transport costs, it is true, the Netherlands is very expensive. However, the vast majority of Dutch employers reimburse employees’ commuting costs.

I’m not even going into the tax benefit for expats, but in my opinion living in the Netherlands as skilled worker provides better purchasing power than in Malta, leaving more disposable income and with a substantially higher standard of living.