Cost of Living Comparison Between Hulhumale and Male Cost of Living Comparison Between Hulhumale and Male

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Hulhumale versus $1,534 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,576 in Hulhumale versus $2,468 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,704 in Hulhumale versus $3,402 in Male.

Living in Hulhumale costs roughly 6% less than in Male, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hulhumale 6% above, Male 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 MVR 95.0

$6.04 MVR 93.1

1.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.91 MVR 600

$38.22 MVR 589

1.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 MVR 146

$9.77 MVR 151

-3.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 MVR 76.4

$4.78 MVR 73.8

3.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MVR 76.1

$4.98 MVR 76.8

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$3.64 MVR 56.1

$3.59 MVR 55.4

1.39%

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

$1.61 MVR 24.85

$1.65 MVR 25.47

-2.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MVR 4.40

$0.29 MVR 4.46

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MVR 25.05

$1.98 MVR 30.59

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 MVR 25.61

$1.62 MVR 24.98

2.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.33 MVR 5.15

$1.18 MVR 18.27

-72.03%

Eggs

$1.80 MVR 27.76

$1.89 MVR 29.15

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.28 MVR 50.5

$10.79 MVR 166

-69.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 MVR 91.6

$6.03 MVR 92.9

-1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 MVR 148

$9.54 MVR 147

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 MVR 61.7

$3.91 MVR 60.3

2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 MVR 48.20

$2.98 MVR 46.02

5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 MVR 43.72

$4.07 MVR 62.8

-30.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 MVR 41.25

$2.76 MVR 42.49

-2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MVR 19.78

$2.10 MVR 32.46

-39.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MVR 17.89

$1.92 MVR 29.66

-39.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 MVR 32.36

$2.13 MVR 32.80

-1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MVR 8.90

$0.61 MVR 9.44

-4.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.27 MVR 189

$12.49 MVR 193

-1.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MVR 42.39

$2.80 MVR 43.12

-1.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MVR 31.12

$1.95 MVR 30.00

3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.91 MVR 199

$15.03 MVR 232

-14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MVR 9.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 MVR 468

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 MVR 29.69

$1.91 MVR 29.48

1.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 MVR 29.46

$1.99 MVR 30.72

-4.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.85 MVR 152

$9.84 MVR 152

0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 MVR 14.92

$1.03 MVR 15.85

-5.83%

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

$32.1K MVR 495.4K

$32.4K MVR 499.3K

-0.79%

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

$29.5K MVR 454.5K

$29.7K MVR 457.7K

-0.69%

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

$105 MVR 1,620

$121 MVR 1,863

-13.02%

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

$29.86 MVR 460

$30.19 MVR 466

-1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 MVR 1,106

$73.4 MVR 1,132

-2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.0 MVR 1,079

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.50 MVR 532

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 MVR 146

$9.68 MVR 149

-2.17%

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

$183 MVR 2,824

$183 MVR 2,819

0.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,060 MVR 47.2K

$3,008 MVR 46.4K

1.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.54 MVR 610

$39.71 MVR 612

-0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.94 MVR 755

$49.22 MVR 759

-0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 MVR 1,356

$88.4 MVR 1,364

-0.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 MVR 815

$53.0 MVR 817

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 MVR 17.6K

$966 MVR 14.9K

18.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 MVR 12.1K

$687 MVR 10.6K

14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,306 MVR 35.6K

$2,005 MVR 30.9K

15.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 MVR 35.6K

$1,575 MVR 24.3K

46.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,464 MVR 84.3K

$2,250 MVR 34.7K

142.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$503 MVR 7,755

$1,374 MVR 21.2K

-63.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$706 MVR 10.9K

$829 MVR 12.8K

-14.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Hulhumale: September 14, 2026

Last update for Male: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,142 in Hulhumale and $966 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Hulhumale vs $38.00 in Male. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $233, with Hulhumale cheaper for home cooking.

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 Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hulhumale wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Male. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hulhumale the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% 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: $1,142 in Hulhumale versus $966 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Hulhumale – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $38.00 in Male. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,447 in Hulhumale versus $1,534 in Male, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hulhumale but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Hulhumale 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 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 Hulhumale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.