SUMMARY Objective To evaluate the long-term quality of life (QoL) in patients operated for cholesteatoma by canal wall-up tympanoplasty (CWUT) or canal wall-down tympanoplasty (CWDT) with mastoid obliteration. Methods QoL was evaluated by the Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire - 12 (COMQ-12). For each patient, the total score and three partial subscores, concerning disease activity, functional impairment and general impact on the patient’s life were calculated. These scores were correlated with the surgical technique, as well as anatomical and functional results. Results 68 procedures were classified as CWUT and 78 as CWDT with obliteration. The mean follow-up was 65 months. Total and partial COMQ-12 scores did not show any significant difference between the two groups. Correlation analysis showed a significant direct association between the postoperative Air-Bone Gap (ABG) and both the COMQ-12 total score and functional subscore in the CWUT group. Conclusions This is the first study comparing CWUT and CWDT with obliteration with the COMQ-12, thus confirming the overlapping results in terms of QoL. These findings, together with the evidence of the significantly lower rates of recidivism, show that CWDT with obliteration should be considered as a good alternative to CWUT.