Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Maldives and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in the Maldives: $1,501 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Budapest despite lower rent and utilities.

Jump to prices
🇲🇻 Maldives
$1,501
/mo nomad
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,621
/mo nomad
🙂 Solo nomad: The Maldives is 16.4% cheaper than Budapest without rent, and 7.4% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: The Maldives is 19.8% cheaper than Budapest without rent, and 6% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.54 MVR 101
$13.99 Ft 4,551
-53.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.62 MVR 765
$60.3 Ft 19.6K
-17.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.00 MVR 154
$9.96 Ft 3,241
0.40%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.97 MVR 76.6
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.82 MVR 151
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.27 MVR 50.4
$3.38 Ft 1,100
-3.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MVR 23.32
$2.13 Ft 692
-29.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 MVR 4.81
$1.87 Ft 608
-83.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.75 Ft 1,221
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.57 Ft 1,162
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 MVR 29.01
$1.13 Ft 368
66.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 MVR 24.10
$1.84 Ft 599
-15.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.04 MVR 16.04
$2.39 Ft 777
-56.49%
Eggs
$1.75 MVR 27.04
$3.83 Ft 1,245
-54.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.18 MVR 95.4
$11.33 Ft 3,686
-45.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.75 MVR 104
$6.74 Ft 2,192
0.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.03 MVR 155
$14.69 Ft 4,780
-31.72%
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 MVR 61.3
$1.84 Ft 597
116.30%
Banana (1kg)
$2.99 MVR 46.12
$2.01 Ft 653
48.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.88 MVR 59.8
$2.36 Ft 767
64.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 MVR 39.48
$3.77 Ft 1,226
-32.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 MVR 26.93
$0.96 Ft 313
82.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.75 MVR 26.99
$1.03 Ft 334
69.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.23 MVR 34.38
$1.56 Ft 509
42.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 MVR 9.25
$0.66 Ft 216
-9.09%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$11.14 MVR 172
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 MVR 39.01
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MVR 71.1
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.06 MVR 232
$7.96 Ft 2,591
89.20%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$6.01 Ft 1,954
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.30 Ft 421
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.08 Ft 676
-
🚌 Getting Around
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 MVR 10.51
$1.50 Ft 489
-54.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.89 MVR 446
$27.61 Ft 8,982
4.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.89 MVR 29.15
$3.30 Ft 1,074
-42.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 MVR 30.12
$1.30 Ft 424
50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.02 MVR 124
$19.78 Ft 6,436
-59.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 MVR 15.19
$1.81 Ft 591
-45.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.7K MVR 489.3K
$29.3K Ft 9.5M
8.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9K MVR 460.5K
$34.1K Ft 11.1M
-12.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$132 MVR 2,038
$170 Ft 55.3K
-22.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.76 MVR 474
$23.98 Ft 7,802
28.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.3 MVR 1,052
$23.42 Ft 7,621
191.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.4 MVR 978
$66.2 Ft 21.6K
-4.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.44 MVR 331
$19.18 Ft 6,239
11.78%
Cinema Ticket
$9.03 MVR 139
$9.52 Ft 3,098
-5.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$183 MVR 2,826
$537 Ft 174.6K
-65.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,922 MVR 45.1K
$16.6K Ft 5.4M
-82.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.67 MVR 581
$101 Ft 33.0K
-62.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1 MVR 772
$42.99 Ft 14.0K
16.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 MVR 1,327
$113 Ft 36.7K
-23.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.9 MVR 800
$119 Ft 38.6K
-56.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$911 MVR 14.0K
$805 Ft 262.0K
13.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 MVR 10.4K
$629 Ft 204.7K
6.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 MVR 29.7K
$1,549 Ft 504.1K
24.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,467 MVR 22.6K
$1,167 Ft 379.7K
25.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,641 MVR 40.7K
$5,618 Ft 1.8M
-53.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$781 MVR 12.0K
$3,968 Ft 1.3M
-80.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maldives
Budapest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$783 MVR 12.1K
$1,626 Ft 529.0K
-51.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14
6.43
117.73%

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

Last update for the Maldives: October 5, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Maldives
$672
Budapest
$629 6.3% $43
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maldives
$231
Budapest
$217 6% $14
Groceries & Markets
Maldives
$219
Budapest
$258 17.6% $39
Eating Out
Maldives
$129
Budapest
$224 74% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Maldives
$102
Budapest
$169 66.5% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Maldives
$81
Budapest
$85 4.7% $3.8
Getting Around
Maldives
$43
Budapest
$43 0.4% $0.2
Good to know
🇲🇻 Maldives
🇭🇺 Budapest
🕒 Local time
09:58 9:58 AM
06:58 6:58 AM
3 h behind the Maldives
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
436,330
1,686,222 Capital
💱 Currency
Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf
Hungarian Forint HUF Ft
📈 Exchange rate
100 MVR = 6.49 USD
100 MVR = 5.78 EUR
1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD
1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to MVR – Maldivian Rufiyaa Converter

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.29 MVR (100 MVR = 5.78 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD to MVR in detail →
On the map
Between locations
  • Maldives Budapest 7,070 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Maldives
  • Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 other spots: cost of living compared

🇲🇻 Maldives
$1,501
/mo nomad
🇺🇸 United States
$2,785
/mo nomad
🇲🇻 Maldives
$1,501
/mo nomad
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,199
/mo nomad
🇲🇻 Maldives
$1,501
/mo nomad
🇮🇳 India
$380
/mo nomad
🇲🇻 Maldives
$1,501
/mo nomad
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$481
/mo nomad
Show more

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