🙂A single person spends $945 per month in Maldives vs $2,215 in Canada, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,554 per month in Maldives vs $3,237 in Canada, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,163 per month in Maldives vs $4,258 in Canada, rent included.
🌍The cost of living in Maldives is roughly 57% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Maldives sits 31% below the global median, while Canada is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
📏The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($906–$3,718) than in Maldives ($43.00–$1,534), so city choice matters more there.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maldives
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.58MVR 102
$17.71CA$24.77
-62.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.1MVR 789
$71.1CA$99.4
-28.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.93MVR 153
$10.90CA$15.25
-8.90%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.01MVR 77.3
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.44MVR 146
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.45MVR 53.1
$3.82CA$5.34
-9.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53MVR 23.52
$2.12CA$2.97
-27.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31MVR 4.79
$1.75CA$2.45
-82.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.77CA$8.07
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.72CA$8.00
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maldives
Canada
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.85MVR 28.56
$2.27CA$3.18
-18.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51MVR 23.23
$2.60CA$3.63
-41.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02MVR 15.76
$3.57CA$4.99
-71.43%
Eggs
$1.82MVR 28.07
$3.64CA$5.09
-50.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.26MVR 96.5
$11.03CA$15.43
-43.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.59MVR 102
$12.02CA$16.82
-45.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.92MVR 153
$15.70CA$21.97
-36.82%
Apples(1kg)
$4.12MVR 63.5
$4.18CA$5.84
-1.44%
Banana(1kg)
$3.00MVR 46.25
$1.40CA$1.96
114.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.74MVR 57.7
$3.80CA$5.31
-1.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.57MVR 39.65
$3.98CA$5.57
-35.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.84MVR 28.45
$2.65CA$3.71
-30.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.77MVR 27.33
$2.54CA$3.55
-30.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.15MVR 33.20
$2.64CA$3.70
-18.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66MVR 10.17
$1.79CA$2.50
-63.13%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$11.14MVR 172
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46MVR 37.93
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MVR 71.2
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.79MVR 228
$14.23CA$19.91
3.94%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$13.22CA$18.50
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.98CA$4.17
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.20CA$4.48
-
🚌 Getting Around
Maldives
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.63MVR 9.65
$2.47CA$3.45
-74.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.00MVR 447
$73.5CA$103
-60.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.01MVR 30.96
$3.26CA$4.56
-38.34%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.90MVR 29.35
$1.54CA$2.15
23.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.08MVR 125
$27.66CA$38.69
-70.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.03MVR 15.86
$1.20CA$1.67
-14.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9KMVR 507.3K
$28.0KCA$39.1K
17.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9KMVR 461.5K
$19.4KCA$27.1K
54.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maldives
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$130MVR 2,006
$151CA$212
-14.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.35MVR 468
$43.37CA$60.7
-30.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.1MVR 1,066
$59.8CA$83.6
15.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maldives
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$62.6MVR 966
$40.88CA$57.2
53.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.23MVR 327
$19.81CA$27.72
7.17%
Cinema Ticket
$9.12MVR 141
$11.39CA$15.94
-19.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maldives
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$181MVR 2,793
$783CA$1,095
-76.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,851MVR 44.0K
$14.6KCA$20.5K
-80.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maldives
Canada
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.56MVR 579
$55.1CA$77.1
-31.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.11MVR 757
$39.66CA$55.5
23.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.5MVR 1,364
$89.3CA$125
-0.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.4MVR 808
$103CA$145
-49.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maldives
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$938MVR 14.5K
$1,299CA$1,817
-27.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$685MVR 10.6K
$1,157CA$1,618
-40.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,917MVR 29.6K
$2,025CA$2,833
-5.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,486MVR 22.9K
$1,779CA$2,489
-16.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,595MVR 40.0K
$4,679CA$6,546
-44.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$758MVR 11.7K
$3,883CA$5,433
-80.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maldives
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$765MVR 11.8K
$3,043CA$4,257
-74.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
14
4.86
188.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Maldives: September 14, 2026
Last update for Canada: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $609 in Maldives vs $1,221 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $966 in Male and $1,493 in Ottawa.
💰Average salary: $733 in Maldives vs $2,963 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 100% higher in Canada.
⭐Dining out costs 242% more in Canada.
⭐Public transport is 362% more expensive in Canada.
⭐Salaries are 304% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.
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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Maldives?
Maldives is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 193% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Maldives, contributing to the overall 193% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Canada or in Maldives?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Maldives, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Canada or to 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.