Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuvahmulah and Male Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuvahmulah and Male

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,500 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,123 in Fuvahmulah versus $2,446 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,465 in Fuvahmulah versus $3,393 in Male.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Fuvahmulah is 43% below, Male is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 MVR 95.0

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.53 MVR 594

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 MVR 153

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 MVR 75.6

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 MVR 74.3

Cappuccino

$3.55 MVR 54.8

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

$1.59 MVR 24.57

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MVR 4.84

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MVR 25.55

$2.09 MVR 32.20

-20.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 MVR 13.79

$1.67 MVR 25.81

-46.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.47 MVR 7.23

$1.26 MVR 19.35

-62.70%

Eggs

$1.59 MVR 24.59

$1.87 MVR 28.82

-14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.45 MVR 99.4

$10.44 MVR 161

-38.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 MVR 74.2

$6.24 MVR 96.3

-22.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MVR 202

$9.46 MVR 146

38.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 MVR 48.53

$3.92 MVR 60.4

-19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 MVR 20.17

$3.13 MVR 48.29

-58.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 MVR 50.3

$4.09 MVR 63.1

-20.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MVR 24.52

$2.66 MVR 40.96

-40.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 MVR 16.67

$2.03 MVR 31.32

-46.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 MVR 17.23

$1.86 MVR 28.66

-39.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MVR 25.27

$2.14 MVR 32.98

-23.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MVR 10.48

$0.62 MVR 9.63

9.68%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.90 MVR 60.1

$12.57 MVR 194

-68.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 41.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MVR 30.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 MVR 106

$14.85 MVR 229

-53.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MVR 10.33

$0.66 MVR 10.22

1.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.51 MVR 301

$30.42 MVR 469

-35.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 MVR 25.43

$1.93 MVR 29.69

-14.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MVR 24.62

$1.99 MVR 30.69

-19.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 MVR 97.0

$9.97 MVR 154

-36.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MVR 20.35

$0.97 MVR 14.89

36.08%

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

$19.6K MVR 301.9K

$31.7K MVR 489.2K

-38.29%

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

$22.6K MVR 348.7K

$28.8K MVR 444.6K

-21.57%

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

$159 MVR 2,450

$120 MVR 1,843

32.98%

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

$30.58 MVR 472

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.74 MVR 582

$71.4 MVR 1,101

-47.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.39 MVR 345

$70.1 MVR 1,082

-68.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.01 MVR 201

$33.42 MVR 515

-61.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 MVR 100

$9.55 MVR 147

-31.94%

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

$155 MVR 2,384

$187 MVR 2,882

-17.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,231 MVR 34.4K

$2,960 MVR 45.6K

-24.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.49 MVR 455

$39.33 MVR 606

-25.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 MVR 295

$48.68 MVR 751

-60.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.65 MVR 581

$88.0 MVR 1,356

-57.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 MVR 808

$51.6 MVR 796

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 MVR 4,954

$952 MVR 14.7K

-66.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 MVR 4,066

$696 MVR 10.7K

-62.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 MVR 8,470

$2,064 MVR 31.8K

-73.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 MVR 8,082

$1,548 MVR 23.9K

-66.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,266 MVR 34.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$353 MVR 5,442

$1,376 MVR 21.2K

-74.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MVR 10.1K

$813 MVR 12.5K

-19.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Fuvahmulah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Male: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Fuvahmulah and $952 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 24% 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 Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Male. 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: $321 in Fuvahmulah versus $952 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $155 in Fuvahmulah versus $187 in Male. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Fuvahmulah runs roughly 56% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $782 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,500 in Male, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fuvahmulah but tight or insufficient in Male. 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 Male 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 Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.