Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Hulhumale Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Hulhumale

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,046 in Bangkok versus $1,508 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Bangkok versus $2,649 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Bangkok versus $3,789 in Hulhumale.

Living in Bangkok costs roughly 31% less than in Hulhumale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bangkok is 22% below, Hulhumale is 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿101

$5.29 MVR 81.6

-42.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,054

$29.57 MVR 456

5.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ฿207

$9.66 MVR 149

-36.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.64 MVR 71.6

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MVR 56.4

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿83.0

$2.91 MVR 44.81

-15.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿23.14

$1.27 MVR 19.62

-45.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿9.01

$0.27 MVR 4.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ฿137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿63.0

$1.77 MVR 27.31

5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿45.06

$1.63 MVR 25.09

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.07

$0.33 MVR 5.09

342.42%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.6

$1.60 MVR 24.74

36.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ฿610

$8.15 MVR 126

122.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿103

$6.09 MVR 93.8

-49.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 ฿324

$9.02 MVR 139

6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿119

$4.09 MVR 63.0

-13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.2

$3.86 MVR 59.5

-54.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.4

$4.39 MVR 67.7

-48.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.33 MVR 51.3

-44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.2

$1.49 MVR 22.97

10.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.93

$1.22 MVR 18.79

21.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿45.20

$3.16 MVR 48.79

-57.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.69

$0.53 MVR 8.23

-5.66%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.33 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 MVR 40.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.45 MVR 146

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$7.94 MVR 122

-44.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿114

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿40.16

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,231

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.81

$2.00 MVR 30.86

-47.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿39.98

$1.90 MVR 29.31

-37.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ฿203

$9.91 MVR 153

-39.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿42.14

$0.90 MVR 13.90

38.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K ฿1.3M

$32.2K MVR 496.9K

15.42%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.3K ฿951.3K

$33.6K MVR 518.2K

-15.82%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.6 ฿3,079

$107 MVR 1,647

-14.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.61 ฿424

$41.88 MVR 646

-69.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 ฿578

$41.43 MVR 639

-58.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,753

$64.3 MVR 991

-18.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ฿353

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 ฿265

$9.82 MVR 152

-19.76%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$603 ฿20.3K

$163 MVR 2,506

270.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿450.1K

$3,612 MVR 55.7K

270.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,968

$44.94 MVR 693

30.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 ฿1,299

$57.2 MVR 882

-32.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,525

$91.0 MVR 1,404

15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 ฿3,152

$54.6 MVR 842

71.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ฿23.0K

$1,304 MVR 20.1K

-47.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ฿10.9K

$774 MVR 11.9K

-58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ฿64.1K

$2,932 MVR 45.2K

-35.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.9K

$2,279 MVR 35.1K

-63.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,056 ฿203.7K

$5,382 MVR 83.0K

12.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 ฿111.4K

$496 MVR 7,654

567.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.9K

$721 MVR 11.1K

-13.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

12.4

-52.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Bangkok and $1,304 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $30.00 in Hulhumale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $227 per month, with Hulhumale cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bangkok vs Hulhumale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Hulhumale differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,046 vs $1,508 including rent). Bangkok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Hulhumale. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $684 in Bangkok versus $1,304 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hulhumale pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Bangkok versus $1,508 in Hulhumale – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,046 in Bangkok versus $1,508 in Hulhumale, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bangkok but tight or insufficient in Hulhumale. The gap between the two cities makes Bangkok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bangkok and Hulhumale are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bangkok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.