Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldives and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldives and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $967 in Maldives versus $1,720 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Maldives versus $2,626 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,165 in Maldives versus $3,531 in Italy.

Living in Maldives costs about 44% less than in Italy on average.

Maldives (27% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.

Maldives ($44.00$1,550) and Italy ($1,191$2,443) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maldives
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.07 MVR 93.6
$17.16 €14.86
-64.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.95 MVR 755
$81.4 €70.5
-39.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.88 MVR 152
$11.60 €10.05
-14.83%
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
$1.98 €1.71
57.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MVR 21.56
$3.00 €2.60
-53.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 MVR 5.27
$1.36 €1.18
-75.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.92 €5.13
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.25 €4.55
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maldives
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 MVR 26.29
$1.70 €1.48
0.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 MVR 23.06
$2.37 €2.05
-36.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 MVR 18.07
$3.03 €2.63
-61.39%
Eggs
$1.57 MVR 24.19
$3.95 €3.42
-60.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.16 MVR 126
$16.66 €14.43
-51.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.07 MVR 93.6
$12.26 €10.61
-50.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.09 MVR 156
$20.06 €17.37
-49.70%
Apples (1kg)
$4.01 MVR 61.8
$2.55 €2.21
57.25%
Banana (1kg)
$3.71 MVR 57.2
$2.20 €1.91
68.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.73 MVR 57.5
$2.75 €2.38
35.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.56 MVR 55.0
$3.22 €2.79
10.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 MVR 21.93
$1.94 €1.68
-26.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 MVR 18.08
$1.82 €1.58
-35.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.52 MVR 38.81
$1.48 €1.28
70.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 MVR 9.95
$0.50 €0.43
30.00%
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
$7.13 €6.17
9.12%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.37 €6.38
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.76 €1.52
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.53 €2.19
-
🚌 Getting Around
Maldives
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 MVR 9.66
$1.99 €1.72
-68.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 MVR 440
$42.32 €36.65
-32.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 MVR 30.26
$5.67 €4.91
-65.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.01 MVR 30.96
$1.52 €1.31
32.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 MVR 125
$34.94 €30.25
-76.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 MVR 14.22
$2.09 €1.81
-55.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K MVR 501.7K
$32.7K €28.3K
-0.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K MVR 469.6K
$32.9K €28.5K
-7.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maldives
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$116 MVR 1,790
$227 €196
-48.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.88 MVR 630
$13.58 €11.76
201.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.9 MVR 1,093
$31.57 €27.34
124.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maldives
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.7 MVR 1,198
$57.7 €49.93
34.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.00 MVR 540
$25.23 €21.85
38.72%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 MVR 140
$10.59 €9.18
-14.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maldives
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$171 MVR 2,630
$568 €492
-69.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,328 MVR 51.3K
$10.5K €9,126
-68.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maldives
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.24 MVR 651
$90.7 €78.5
-53.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.74 MVR 767
$40.49 €35.06
22.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.2 MVR 1,268
$99.8 €86.4
-17.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.1 MVR 835
$130 €112
-58.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maldives
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MVR 15.1K
$865 €749
13.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$684 MVR 10.5K
$672 €582
1.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,631 MVR 25.1K
$1,523 €1,319
7.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,402 MVR 21.6K
$1,078 €934
29.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,622 MVR 40.4K
$3,767 €3,262
-30.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$757 MVR 11.7K
$2,360 €2,044
-67.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maldives
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$779 MVR 12.0K
$1,949 €1,688
-60.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.4
4.41
181.18%

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

Last update for Maldives: July 28, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $651 in Maldives, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $961 in Male vs $1,334 in Rome.

National salary averages: $732 in Maldives, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 14% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 393% more in Italy.

Public transport is 267% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 161% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Maldives?
At $1,817 per month in Italy and $797 in Maldives, there's a 128% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Maldives: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in Maldives across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Italy or in Maldives?
In Maldives, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Maldives?
It depends on what you're after: Maldives wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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