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: $1,516 in Hulhumale versus $1,550 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,711 in Hulhumale versus $2,370 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,906 in Hulhumale versus $3,189 in Male.

Living in Hulhumale costs roughly 2% less than in Male, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hulhumale 14% above, Male 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MVR 83.0

$5.45 MVR 84.0

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 MVR 446

$29.34 MVR 452

-1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 MVR 154

$9.86 MVR 152

1.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MVR 69.4

$4.42 MVR 68.1

1.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 MVR 58.7

$3.84 MVR 59.2

-0.78%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MVR 45.37

$2.97 MVR 45.76

-1.01%

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

$1.31 MVR 20.26

$1.26 MVR 19.45

3.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.82

$0.27 MVR 4.18

-7.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MVR 27.83

$1.84 MVR 28.32

-1.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 MVR 24.87

$1.54 MVR 23.81

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.33 MVR 5.09

$1.31 MVR 20.16

-74.81%

Eggs

$1.54 MVR 23.76

$1.79 MVR 27.65

-13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 MVR 128

$8.32 MVR 128

-0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 MVR 92.9

$6.20 MVR 95.7

-2.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MVR 135

$8.83 MVR 136

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 MVR 63.8

$3.94 MVR 60.8

5.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.83 MVR 59.0

$3.89 MVR 60.1

-1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 MVR 65.7

$4.33 MVR 66.8

-1.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 MVR 49.83

$3.29 MVR 50.8

-1.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MVR 23.38

$1.57 MVR 24.25

-3.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MVR 18.78

$1.18 MVR 18.26

3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 MVR 47.27

$3.21 MVR 49.55

-4.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MVR 8.30

$0.54 MVR 8.26

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.45 MVR 192

$12.46 MVR 192

-0.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MVR 40.83

$2.73 MVR 42.07

-2.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 MVR 152

$10.20 MVR 157

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.87 MVR 121

$7.94 MVR 122

-0.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MVR 10.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.47 MVR 439

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MVR 30.83

$2.00 MVR 30.87

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 MVR 29.19

$2.00 MVR 30.78

-5.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.94 MVR 153

$9.92 MVR 153

0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MVR 14.65

$0.89 MVR 13.71

6.74%

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

$32.5K MVR 501.9K

$31.9K MVR 491.3K

2.16%

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

$33.8K MVR 521.0K

$33.9K MVR 522.9K

-0.37%

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

$106 MVR 1,632

$109 MVR 1,674

-2.47%

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

$42.09 MVR 649

$41.03 MVR 633

2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.60 MVR 641

$76.3 MVR 1,176

-45.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 MVR 994

$81.0 MVR 1,249

-20.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.31 MVR 668

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 MVR 152

$9.96 MVR 154

-1.31%

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

$162 MVR 2,504

$162 MVR 2,502

0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,525 MVR 54.3K

$3,541 MVR 54.6K

-0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.06 MVR 679

$44.26 MVR 683

-0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 MVR 878

$55.9 MVR 862

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 MVR 1,382

$89.5 MVR 1,379

0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 MVR 846

$54.0 MVR 832

1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 MVR 20.3K

$961 MVR 14.8K

37.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 MVR 11.9K

$715 MVR 11.0K

7.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,902 MVR 44.7K

$1,717 MVR 26.5K

69.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 MVR 35.5K

$1,412 MVR 21.8K

63.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,446 MVR 84.0K

$2,236 MVR 34.5K

143.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$498 MVR 7,685

$1,412 MVR 21.8K

-64.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 MVR 11.1K

$821 MVR 12.7K

-12.51%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Male: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,319 in Hulhumale and $961 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 14% 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: $29.00 in Hulhumale vs $29.00 in Male for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $232 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

Hulhumale wins on cost – living expenses run 2% 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 14% 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: $1,319 in Hulhumale versus $961 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $162 in Hulhumale versus $162 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 $29.00 versus $29.00 in Male. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,516 in Hulhumale versus $1,550 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 2% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.