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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,463 in Hulhumale versus $782 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Hulhumale versus $1,123 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,714 in Hulhumale versus $1,465 in Fuvahmulah.

Living in Hulhumale is roughly 87% more expensive than in Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hulhumale is 6% above, Fuvahmulah is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.03 MVR 93.0

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.48 MVR 609

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 MVR 141

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 MVR 74.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 MVR 75.3

Cappuccino

$3.58 MVR 55.2

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

$1.66 MVR 25.53

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MVR 4.80

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MVR 24.00

$1.66 MVR 25.55

-6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 MVR 25.03

$0.89 MVR 13.79

82.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.33 MVR 5.12

$0.47 MVR 7.23

-29.79%

Eggs

$1.83 MVR 28.22

$1.59 MVR 24.59

15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.26 MVR 50.2

$6.45 MVR 99.4

-49.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 MVR 92.4

$4.81 MVR 74.2

24.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MVR 145

$13.08 MVR 202

-28.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 MVR 59.4

$3.15 MVR 48.53

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 MVR 47.25

$1.31 MVR 20.17

133.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 MVR 45.46

$3.26 MVR 50.3

-9.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MVR 41.11

$1.59 MVR 24.52

67.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 MVR 19.84

$1.08 MVR 16.67

19.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 MVR 17.10

$1.12 MVR 17.23

-0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 MVR 33.04

$1.64 MVR 25.27

30.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MVR 9.54

$0.68 MVR 10.48

-8.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.16 MVR 187

$3.90 MVR 60.1

211.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 40.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MVR 30.64

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.98 MVR 200

$6.89 MVR 106

88.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MVR 10.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.51 MVR 301

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 MVR 30.08

$1.65 MVR 25.43

18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 MVR 29.35

$1.60 MVR 24.62

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 MVR 155

$6.29 MVR 97.0

59.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 MVR 14.36

$1.32 MVR 20.35

-29.55%

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

$32.6K MVR 502.8K

$19.6K MVR 301.9K

66.57%

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

$29.9K MVR 460.9K

$22.6K MVR 348.7K

32.17%

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

$104 MVR 1,596

$159 MVR 2,450

-34.86%

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

$30.17 MVR 465

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 MVR 1,112

$37.74 MVR 582

91.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.39 MVR 345

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.01 MVR 201

Cinema Ticket

$9.79 MVR 151

$6.50 MVR 100

50.62%

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

$183 MVR 2,829

$155 MVR 2,384

18.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,991 MVR 46.1K

$2,231 MVR 34.4K

34.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.05 MVR 618

$29.49 MVR 455

35.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.52 MVR 764

$19.12 MVR 295

159.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 MVR 1,329

$37.65 MVR 581

128.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MVR 795

$52.4 MVR 808

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 MVR 17.8K

$321 MVR 4,954

258.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 MVR 12.0K

$264 MVR 4,066

194.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 MVR 34.7K

$549 MVR 8,470

309.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 MVR 35.4K

$524 MVR 8,082

337.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,449 MVR 84.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 MVR 7,739

$353 MVR 5,442

42.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$713 MVR 11.0K

$658 MVR 10.1K

8.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Hulhumale: August 31, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,151 in Hulhumale and $321 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 8% 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

Hulhumale vs Fuvahmulah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuvahmulah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Hulhumale, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,151 in Hulhumale versus $321 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Hulhumale. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $183 in Hulhumale versus $155 in Fuvahmulah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $782 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,463 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, Hulhumale and Fuvahmulah 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 87% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.