Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldives and Brazil Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldives and Brazil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $967 per month in Maldives vs $765 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,566 per month in Maldives vs $1,223 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,165 per month in Maldives vs $1,680 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in Maldives is about 26% higher than in Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Maldives and Brazil are more affordable than the global median – Maldives 27% lower, Brazil 43% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in Maldives ($44.00$1,550) than in Brazil ($572$1,046), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.07 MVR 93.6
$5.47 R$27.77
10.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.95 MVR 755
$28.37 R$144
72.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.88 MVR 152
$6.46 R$32.80
52.94%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.84 MVR 74.7
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.99 MVR 92.3
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.11 MVR 47.94
$1.76 R$8.96
76.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MVR 21.56
$1.12 R$5.70
25.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 MVR 5.27
$0.66 R$3.34
-48.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.76 R$8.91
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.72 R$13.79
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 MVR 26.29
$0.97 R$4.91
76.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 MVR 23.06
$1.49 R$7.57
0.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 MVR 18.07
$1.18 R$5.97
-0.85%
Eggs
$1.57 MVR 24.19
$2.11 R$10.70
-25.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.16 MVR 126
$8.66 R$43.95
-5.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.07 MVR 93.6
$3.83 R$19.44
58.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.09 MVR 156
$7.44 R$37.73
35.62%
Apples (1kg)
$4.01 MVR 61.8
$2.07 R$10.52
93.72%
Banana (1kg)
$3.71 MVR 57.2
$1.32 R$6.70
181.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.73 MVR 57.5
$1.17 R$5.95
218.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.56 MVR 55.0
$1.43 R$7.25
148.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 MVR 21.93
$1.17 R$5.94
21.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 MVR 18.08
$1.05 R$5.35
11.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.52 MVR 38.81
$0.75 R$3.82
236.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 MVR 9.95
$0.64 R$3.26
1.56%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$11.46 MVR 177
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.65 MVR 40.85
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.21 MVR 127
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.78 MVR 120
$2.11 R$10.70
268.72%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.94 R$40.28
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.22 R$6.20
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.23 R$11.33
-
🚌 Getting Around
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 MVR 9.66
$0.86 R$4.36
-26.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 MVR 440
$40.49 R$205
-29.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 MVR 30.26
$1.05 R$5.33
86.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.01 MVR 30.96
$0.83 R$4.23
142.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 MVR 125
$7.00 R$35.55
16.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 MVR 14.22
$1.04 R$5.28
-11.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K MVR 501.7K
$21.8K R$110.6K
49.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K MVR 469.6K
$27.3K R$138.4K
11.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$116 MVR 1,790
$70.3 R$357
65.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.88 MVR 630
$14.04 R$71.2
191.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.9 MVR 1,093
$18.81 R$95.5
276.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.7 MVR 1,198
$23.15 R$117
235.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.00 MVR 540
$22.38 R$114
56.39%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 MVR 140
$6.18 R$31.34
46.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$171 MVR 2,630
$289 R$1,466
-40.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,328 MVR 51.3K
$7,356 R$37.3K
-54.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.24 MVR 651
$48.26 R$245
-12.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.74 MVR 767
$42.55 R$216
16.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.2 MVR 1,268
$75.8 R$385
8.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.1 MVR 835
$63.1 R$320
-14.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MVR 15.1K
$339 R$1,718
188.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$684 MVR 10.5K
$224 R$1,137
205.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,631 MVR 25.1K
$639 R$3,241
155.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,402 MVR 21.6K
$443 R$2,247
216.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,622 MVR 40.4K
$1,835 R$9,310
42.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$757 MVR 11.7K
$1,239 R$6,285
-38.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maldives
Brazil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$779 MVR 12.0K
$517 R$2,626
50.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.4
11.16
11.11%

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

Last update for Maldives: July 28, 2026

Last update for Brazil: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $651 in Maldives vs $304 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $961 in Male and $400 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $732 in Maldives vs $486 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 114% higher in Maldives.

Dining out costs 80% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 225% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 51% higher in Maldives, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Maldives.

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
Maldives vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Maldives compare in cost of living?
Maldives is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 2% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Maldives?
Housing costs more in Brazil, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Brazil consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Maldives?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Maldives, contributing to the overall 2% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $2,000 go in Brazil compared to Maldives?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Maldives, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and in Maldives?
Maldives is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Maldives vs other spots: cost of living compared

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