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: $1,519 in Hulhumale versus $1,515 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,689 in Hulhumale versus $2,332 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,860 in Hulhumale versus $3,149 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 14% above, Male 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 MVR 80.8

$5.29 MVR 81.6

-0.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.63 MVR 441

$29.32 MVR 452

-2.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 MVR 152

$9.99 MVR 154

-1.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.67 MVR 72.0

$4.57 MVR 70.5

2.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MVR 56.5

$3.63 MVR 55.9

0.83%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MVR 45.93

$2.95 MVR 45.56

1.02%

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

$1.33 MVR 20.47

$1.26 MVR 19.45

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MVR 4.21

$0.27 MVR 4.19

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MVR 27.40

$1.80 MVR 27.68

-1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 MVR 24.21

$1.60 MVR 24.74

-1.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.31 MVR 4.78

$1.31 MVR 20.13

-76.34%

Eggs

$1.54 MVR 23.76

$1.78 MVR 27.46

-13.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 MVR 124

$8.27 MVR 128

-3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 MVR 95.7

$6.11 MVR 94.3

1.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 MVR 134

$8.79 MVR 135

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 MVR 63.5

$3.92 MVR 60.5

5.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.69 MVR 56.9

$3.77 MVR 58.1

-2.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 MVR 67.1

$4.42 MVR 68.1

-1.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 MVR 49.51

$3.22 MVR 49.65

-0.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 MVR 23.87

$1.57 MVR 24.18

-1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MVR 18.77

$1.18 MVR 18.13

3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.22 MVR 49.67

$3.08 MVR 47.55

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MVR 7.73

$0.50 MVR 7.67

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.42 MVR 191

$12.27 MVR 189

1.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MVR 42.27

$2.64 MVR 40.65

3.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.55 MVR 147

$10.43 MVR 161

-8.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 MVR 128

$8.09 MVR 125

2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MVR 10.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.06 MVR 448

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 MVR 29.81

$1.92 MVR 29.67

0.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 MVR 30.80

$1.96 MVR 30.28

2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 MVR 148

$9.98 MVR 154

-3.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 MVR 13.77

$0.97 MVR 15.01

-8.25%

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

$32.0K MVR 493.3K

$31.9K MVR 491.9K

0.29%

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

$34.3K MVR 529.1K

$34.6K MVR 533.0K

-0.73%

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

$108 MVR 1,669

$105 MVR 1,618

3.10%

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

$41.11 MVR 634

$41.29 MVR 637

-0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.27 MVR 652

$76.4 MVR 1,178

-44.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 MVR 1,003

$80.2 MVR 1,237

-18.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.58 MVR 672

Cinema Ticket

$9.87 MVR 152

$9.71 MVR 150

1.65%

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

$165 MVR 2,551

$166 MVR 2,566

-0.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 MVR 54.3K

$3,559 MVR 54.9K

-1.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.95 MVR 678

$45.59 MVR 703

-3.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 MVR 854

$56.1 MVR 865

-1.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 MVR 1,367

$88.8 MVR 1,370

-0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 MVR 829

$53.5 MVR 825

0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 MVR 19.7K

$969 MVR 14.9K

31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 MVR 11.8K

$708 MVR 10.9K

8.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 MVR 45.9K

$1,715 MVR 26.5K

73.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,317 MVR 35.7K

$1,419 MVR 21.9K

63.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,325 MVR 82.1K

$2,275 MVR 35.1K

134.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 MVR 7,704

$1,850 MVR 28.5K

-73.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 MVR 11.0K

$847 MVR 13.1K

-15.46%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Male: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,275 in Hulhumale and $969 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 18% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $29.00 in Hulhumale vs $29.00 in Male for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $229 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 18% 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: $1,275 in Hulhumale versus $969 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hulhumale pay roughly 2% 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 $29.00 versus $29.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,515 in Male versus $1,519 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.