Cost of Living Comparison Between Hulhumale and Sosua Cost of Living Comparison Between Hulhumale and Sosua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,495 in Hulhumale versus $1,188 in Sosua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,699 in Hulhumale versus $2,085 in Sosua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,904 in Hulhumale versus $2,981 in Sosua.

Living in Hulhumale is roughly 26% more expensive than Sosua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hulhumale is 12% above, Sosua is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 MVR 83.7

$8.27 DOP 482

-34.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 MVR 459

$51.8 DOP 3,023

-42.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 MVR 151

$7.29 DOP 425

34.71%

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

$2.73 DOP 159

7.69%

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

$1.33 MVR 20.44

$0.99 DOP 57.6

34.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.81

$0.77 DOP 45.04

-67.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 153

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 DOP 295

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MVR 27.45

$1.35 DOP 78.5

31.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 MVR 23.80

$1.78 DOP 104

-13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.30 MVR 4.69

$1.16 DOP 67.4

-74.14%

Eggs

$1.53 MVR 23.52

$1.89 DOP 111

-19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 MVR 126

$7.01 DOP 409

16.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 MVR 93.0

$6.45 DOP 376

-6.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 MVR 133

$7.67 DOP 447

12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 MVR 60.8

$2.67 DOP 156

47.57%

Banana (1kg)

$3.88 MVR 59.9

$0.78 DOP 45.65

397.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 MVR 65.3

$3.01 DOP 175

40.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 MVR 49.64

$1.88 DOP 109

71.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 MVR 23.20

$2.34 DOP 137

-35.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MVR 18.25

$2.28 DOP 133

-48.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 MVR 47.51

$1.04 DOP 60.9

196.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MVR 7.77

$0.75 DOP 43.54

-33.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.24 MVR 189

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

$5.70 DOP 332

44.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 DOP 614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 DOP 157

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 DOP 148

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 DOP 40.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MVR 30.75

$3.43 DOP 200

-41.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 MVR 29.47

$2.14 DOP 125

-10.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.71 MVR 150

$6.03 DOP 351

61.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 MVR 14.73

$1.26 DOP 73.6

-23.81%

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

$32.3K MVR 498.5K

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

19.76%

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

$33.7K MVR 520.1K

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

8.54%

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

$105 MVR 1,626

$76.1 DOP 4,438

38.61%

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

$41.32 MVR 637

$20.61 DOP 1,202

100.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.98 MVR 663

$35.89 DOP 2,093

19.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 MVR 1,003

$25.12 DOP 1,465

159.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 MVR 153

$6.83 DOP 399

45.68%

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

$160 MVR 2,460

$262 DOP 15.3K

-39.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,505 MVR 54.0K

$6,250 DOP 364.6K

-43.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.62 MVR 704

$60.9 DOP 3,550

-25.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 MVR 885

$52.8 DOP 3,079

8.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 MVR 1,395

$94.8 DOP 5,528

-4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 MVR 815

$116 DOP 6,794

-54.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 MVR 20.2K

$467 DOP 27.2K

181.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 MVR 11.9K

$466 DOP 27.2K

65.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 MVR 45.4K

$1,433 DOP 83.6K

105.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 MVR 34.4K

$1,306 DOP 76.2K

70.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,431 MVR 83.8K

$1,916 DOP 111.7K

183.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 MVR 7,712

$1,822 DOP 106.3K

-72.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MVR 11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

12.9

-3.88%

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

Last update for Hulhumale: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sosua: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,312 in Hulhumale and $467 in Sosua. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Hulhumale vs $52.0 in Sosua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $223 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 Sosua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sosua wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Hulhumale. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sosua the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,242 in Hulhumale and $1,782 in Sosua to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,312 in Hulhumale versus $467 in Sosua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $160 in Hulhumale versus $262 in Sosua. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sosua – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $30.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,188 in Sosua versus $1,495 in Hulhumale, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sosua but tight or insufficient in Hulhumale. The gap between the two cities makes Sosua 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 Sosua 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 Sosua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.