Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuvahmulah and Hulhumale Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuvahmulah and Hulhumale

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,495 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,126 in Fuvahmulah versus $2,699 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,474 in Fuvahmulah versus $3,904 in Hulhumale.

Living in Fuvahmulah costs roughly 48% less than in Hulhumale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fuvahmulah is 42% below, Hulhumale is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 MVR 83.7

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 MVR 459

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 MVR 151

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.67 MVR 72.0

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MVR 56.8

Cappuccino

$2.94 MVR 45.39

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

$1.33 MVR 20.44

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.81

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MVR 24.75

$1.78 MVR 27.45

-9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MVR 14.18

$1.54 MVR 23.80

-40.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.47 MVR 7.28

$0.30 MVR 4.69

56.67%

Eggs

$1.53 MVR 23.62

$1.53 MVR 23.52

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 MVR 101

$8.16 MVR 126

-20.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MVR 72.6

$6.03 MVR 93.0

-21.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 MVR 201

$8.60 MVR 133

51.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 MVR 49.27

$3.94 MVR 60.8

-18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 MVR 19.83

$3.88 MVR 59.9

-66.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 MVR 51.1

$4.23 MVR 65.3

-21.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MVR 24.61

$3.22 MVR 49.64

-50.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 MVR 16.65

$1.50 MVR 23.20

-28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 MVR 17.16

$1.18 MVR 18.25

-5.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 MVR 24.71

$3.08 MVR 47.51

-48.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MVR 9.74

$0.50 MVR 7.77

26.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.81 MVR 58.8

$12.24 MVR 189

-68.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MVR 40.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.03 MVR 155

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 MVR 107

$8.24 MVR 127

-15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MVR 9.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.35 MVR 298

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 MVR 25.47

$1.99 MVR 30.75

-17.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 MVR 25.51

$1.91 MVR 29.47

-13.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 MVR 101

$9.71 MVR 150

-32.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MVR 20.29

$0.96 MVR 14.73

37.50%

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

$19.5K MVR 301.2K

$32.3K MVR 498.5K

-39.58%

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

$22.5K MVR 347.7K

$33.7K MVR 520.1K

-33.16%

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

$159 MVR 2,456

$105 MVR 1,626

51.04%

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

$41.32 MVR 637

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.49 MVR 594

$42.98 MVR 663

-10.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.51 MVR 347

$65.1 MVR 1,003

-65.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 MVR 201

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 MVR 101

$9.95 MVR 153

-34.17%

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

$154 MVR 2,379

$160 MVR 2,460

-3.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,284 MVR 35.2K

$3,505 MVR 54.0K

-34.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.82 MVR 444

$45.62 MVR 704

-36.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.82 MVR 290

$57.4 MVR 885

-67.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.43 MVR 593

$90.5 MVR 1,395

-57.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 MVR 803

$52.9 MVR 815

-1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 MVR 5,014

$1,312 MVR 20.2K

-75.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 MVR 4,040

$772 MVR 11.9K

-66.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 MVR 8,532

$2,943 MVR 45.4K

-81.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 MVR 7,899

$2,229 MVR 34.4K

-77.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,431 MVR 83.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$352 MVR 5,430

$500 MVR 7,712

-29.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 MVR 10.3K

$726 MVR 11.2K

-8.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

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

Last update for Fuvahmulah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $325 in Fuvahmulah and $1,312 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Fuvahmulah vs Hulhumale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuvahmulah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Hulhumale earns 9% less. 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: $325 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,312 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Hulhumale. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $154 in Fuvahmulah versus $160 in Hulhumale. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $779 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,495 in Hulhumale, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fuvahmulah but tight or insufficient in Hulhumale. The gap between the two cities makes Fuvahmulah 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, Fuvahmulah 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 Fuvahmulah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.