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: $779 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,524 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,126 in Fuvahmulah versus $2,378 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,474 in Fuvahmulah versus $3,232 in Male.

Living in Fuvahmulah costs roughly 49% less than in Male, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fuvahmulah is 42% below, Male is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MVR 85.0

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.17 MVR 450

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 MVR 152

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MVR 68.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MVR 56.0

Cappuccino

$2.86 MVR 44.15

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

$1.28 MVR 19.76

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.83

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MVR 24.75

$1.79 MVR 27.55

-10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MVR 14.18

$1.55 MVR 23.96

-40.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.47 MVR 7.28

$1.35 MVR 20.89

-65.19%

Eggs

$1.53 MVR 23.62

$1.80 MVR 27.76

-15.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 MVR 101

$8.27 MVR 128

-21.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MVR 72.6

$6.30 MVR 97.1

-25.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 MVR 201

$9.12 MVR 141

42.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 MVR 49.27

$4.14 MVR 63.8

-22.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 MVR 19.83

$3.78 MVR 58.3

-65.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 MVR 51.1

$4.33 MVR 66.8

-23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MVR 24.61

$3.19 MVR 49.24

-49.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 MVR 16.65

$1.49 MVR 22.98

-27.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 MVR 17.16

$1.23 MVR 18.91

-9.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 MVR 24.71

$3.06 MVR 47.22

-47.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MVR 9.74

$0.51 MVR 7.83

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.81 MVR 58.8

$12.30 MVR 190

-69.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.51 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 MVR 107

$8.33 MVR 128

-16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MVR 9.80

$0.66 MVR 10.18

-3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.35 MVR 298

$28.81 MVR 444

-32.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 MVR 25.47

$1.94 MVR 29.87

-14.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 MVR 25.51

$1.91 MVR 29.43

-13.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 MVR 101

$9.96 MVR 154

-33.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MVR 20.29

$0.92 MVR 14.17

43.48%

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

$19.5K MVR 301.2K

$32.2K MVR 497.2K

-39.43%

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

$22.5K MVR 347.7K

$34.6K MVR 534.0K

-34.90%

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

$159 MVR 2,456

$105 MVR 1,613

52.32%

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

$41.62 MVR 642

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.49 MVR 594

$76.6 MVR 1,182

-49.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.51 MVR 347

$80.6 MVR 1,242

-72.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 MVR 201

$43.50 MVR 671

-69.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 MVR 101

$9.81 MVR 151

-33.23%

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

$154 MVR 2,379

$163 MVR 2,521

-5.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,284 MVR 35.2K

$3,626 MVR 55.9K

-37.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.82 MVR 444

$45.36 MVR 700

-36.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.82 MVR 290

$55.8 MVR 860

-66.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.43 MVR 593

$89.7 MVR 1,383

-57.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 MVR 803

$54.4 MVR 839

-4.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 MVR 5,014

$970 MVR 15.0K

-66.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 MVR 4,040

$700 MVR 10.8K

-62.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 MVR 8,532

$1,701 MVR 26.2K

-67.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 MVR 7,899

$1,427 MVR 22.0K

-64.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,300 MVR 35.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$352 MVR 5,430

$1,905 MVR 29.4K

-81.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 MVR 10.3K

$857 MVR 13.2K

-22.44%

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 Male: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $325 in Fuvahmulah and $970 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 29% 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 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Male earns 29% 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 $970 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Fuvahmulah versus $163 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 49% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $779 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,524 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 96% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.