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: $1,495 in Hulhumale versus $779 in Fuvahmulah.

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

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

Living in Hulhumale is roughly 92% more expensive than Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

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)

$1.78 MVR 27.45

$1.61 MVR 24.75

10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 MVR 23.80

$0.92 MVR 14.18

67.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.30 MVR 4.69

$0.47 MVR 7.28

-36.17%

Eggs

$1.53 MVR 23.52

$1.53 MVR 23.62

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 MVR 126

$6.52 MVR 101

25.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 MVR 93.0

$4.71 MVR 72.6

28.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 MVR 133

$13.03 MVR 201

-34.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 MVR 60.8

$3.20 MVR 49.27

23.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.88 MVR 59.9

$1.29 MVR 19.83

200.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 MVR 65.3

$3.31 MVR 51.1

27.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 MVR 49.64

$1.60 MVR 24.61

101.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 MVR 23.20

$1.08 MVR 16.65

38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MVR 18.25

$1.11 MVR 17.16

6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 MVR 47.51

$1.60 MVR 24.71

92.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MVR 7.77

$0.63 MVR 9.74

-20.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.24 MVR 189

$3.81 MVR 58.8

221.26%

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)

$8.24 MVR 127

$6.93 MVR 107

18.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MVR 9.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.35 MVR 298

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MVR 30.75

$1.65 MVR 25.47

20.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 MVR 29.47

$1.65 MVR 25.51

15.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.71 MVR 150

$6.58 MVR 101

47.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 MVR 14.73

$1.32 MVR 20.29

-27.27%

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

$32.3K MVR 498.5K

$19.5K MVR 301.2K

65.51%

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

$33.7K MVR 520.1K

$22.5K MVR 347.7K

49.60%

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

$105 MVR 1,626

$159 MVR 2,456

-33.79%

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

$41.32 MVR 637

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.98 MVR 663

$38.49 MVR 594

11.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 MVR 1,003

$22.51 MVR 347

189.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 MVR 201

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 MVR 153

$6.55 MVR 101

51.91%

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

$160 MVR 2,460

$154 MVR 2,379

3.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,505 MVR 54.0K

$2,284 MVR 35.2K

53.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.62 MVR 704

$28.82 MVR 444

58.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 MVR 885

$18.82 MVR 290

204.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 MVR 1,395

$38.43 MVR 593

135.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 MVR 815

$52.1 MVR 803

1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 MVR 20.2K

$325 MVR 5,014

303.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 MVR 11.9K

$262 MVR 4,040

194.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 MVR 45.4K

$553 MVR 8,532

431.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 MVR 34.4K

$512 MVR 7,899

335.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,431 MVR 83.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 MVR 7,712

$352 MVR 5,430

42.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MVR 11.2K

$665 MVR 10.3K

9.17%

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 Hulhumale: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,312 in Hulhumale and $325 in Fuvahmulah. 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

Hulhumale vs Fuvahmulah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Hulhumale pays 9% more on average, 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: $1,312 in Hulhumale versus $325 in Fuvahmulah. 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 $160 in Hulhumale versus $154 in Fuvahmulah. 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, 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 92% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.