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: $1,521 in Hulhumale versus $1,520 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Hulhumale versus $2,372 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,921 in Hulhumale versus $3,224 in Male.

Monthly costs are close between Hulhumale and Male; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hulhumale 13% above, Male 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MVR 83.0

$5.42 MVR 83.6

-0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.74 MVR 459

$29.79 MVR 459

-0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 MVR 148

$9.70 MVR 150

-1.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MVR 68.4

$4.67 MVR 72.0

-5.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 MVR 58.4

$3.78 MVR 58.2

0.26%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MVR 45.30

$2.90 MVR 44.68

1.38%

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

$1.27 MVR 19.58

$1.33 MVR 20.47

-4.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MVR 4.19

$0.25 MVR 3.81

8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MVR 27.90

$1.84 MVR 28.32

-1.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 MVR 24.15

$1.56 MVR 24.08

0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.31 MVR 4.71

$1.31 MVR 20.17

-76.34%

Eggs

$1.53 MVR 23.60

$1.78 MVR 27.51

-14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 MVR 127

$8.05 MVR 124

2.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 MVR 94.2

$6.25 MVR 96.5

-2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 MVR 133

$8.79 MVR 136

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 MVR 61.8

$4.11 MVR 63.3

-2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.73 MVR 57.5

$3.82 MVR 58.9

-2.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 MVR 67.7

$4.24 MVR 65.4

3.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 MVR 49.66

$3.23 MVR 49.74

-0.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 MVR 23.96

$1.57 MVR 24.20

-1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MVR 18.96

$1.17 MVR 18.05

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 MVR 48.29

$3.18 MVR 49.04

-1.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MVR 7.68

$0.50 MVR 7.65

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.23 MVR 189

$12.50 MVR 193

-2.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 41.07

$2.71 MVR 41.85

-1.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.00 MVR 154

$10.53 MVR 162

-5.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.34 MVR 129

$8.07 MVR 124

3.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MVR 10.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.92 MVR 446

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 MVR 30.56

$1.99 MVR 30.68

-0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 MVR 29.68

$2.01 MVR 30.93

-4.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 MVR 147

$9.86 MVR 152

-3.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 MVR 14.84

$0.89 MVR 13.79

7.87%

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

$32.6K MVR 502.3K

$32.8K MVR 505.3K

-0.58%

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

$34.4K MVR 530.5K

$34.4K MVR 530.9K

-0.08%

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

$107 MVR 1,650

$105 MVR 1,626

1.46%

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

$42.13 MVR 650

$41.44 MVR 639

1.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.52 MVR 656

$78.5 MVR 1,211

-45.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 MVR 1,004

$79.6 MVR 1,227

-18.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.64 MVR 673

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 MVR 147

$9.51 MVR 147

0.11%

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

$160 MVR 2,460

$162 MVR 2,495

-1.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,594 MVR 55.4K

$3,617 MVR 55.8K

-0.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 MVR 696

$44.40 MVR 685

1.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 MVR 868

$57.0 MVR 880

-1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 MVR 1,368

$88.4 MVR 1,364

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.4 MVR 823

$53.0 MVR 817

0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 MVR 20.0K

$949 MVR 14.6K

36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 MVR 11.8K

$699 MVR 10.8K

9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,918 MVR 45.0K

$1,685 MVR 26.0K

73.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,283 MVR 35.2K

$1,439 MVR 22.2K

58.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,384 MVR 83.0K

$2,282 MVR 35.2K

135.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$494 MVR 7,620

$1,883 MVR 29.0K

-73.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$710 MVR 10.9K

$867 MVR 13.4K

-18.17%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Male: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,294 in Hulhumale and $949 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 22% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $30.00 in Hulhumale vs $30.00 in Male for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $230 per month, with Hulhumale cheaper across the board.

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

On paper, Male earns 22% 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: $1,294 in Hulhumale versus $949 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hulhumale pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Male – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $30.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,520 in Male versus $1,521 in Hulhumale, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Male but tight or insufficient in Hulhumale. The gap between the two cities makes Male 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.

It comes down to priorities – Male wins on affordability, Hulhumale on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.