Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldives and Turkey Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldives and Turkey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Maldives versus $1,020 in Turkey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Maldives versus $1,591 in Turkey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,147 in Maldives versus $2,161 in Turkey.

Living in Maldives costs about 9% less than in Turkey on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Maldives 33% lower, Turkey 26% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Maldives: monthly costs span $44.00 to $1,488, compared to $667$1,752 in Turkey. City choice carries more weight in Maldives.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.40 MVR 98.7
$9.07 ₺440
-29.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.6 MVR 780
$41.10 ₺1,996
23.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.72 MVR 150
$8.74 ₺425
11.21%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 MVR 74.5
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.62 MVR 148
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.25 MVR 50.2
$3.63 ₺176
-10.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MVR 23.30
$1.44 ₺70.0
4.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 MVR 4.47
$0.50 ₺24.19
-42.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.82 ₺185
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.45 ₺216
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 MVR 28.54
$1.02 ₺49.48
81.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 MVR 23.15
$0.99 ₺48.06
51.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.98 MVR 15.14
$2.22 ₺108
-55.86%
Eggs
$1.74 MVR 26.83
$2.20 ₺107
-20.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.41 MVR 98.8
$9.83 ₺477
-34.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.49 MVR 100
$4.82 ₺234
34.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.17 MVR 157
$20.63 ₺1,002
-50.70%
Apples (1kg)
$4.03 MVR 62.1
$1.83 ₺88.6
120.22%
Banana (1kg)
$3.00 MVR 46.32
$1.97 ₺95.5
52.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 MVR 59.0
$1.11 ₺54.1
245.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.55 MVR 39.34
$1.34 ₺64.9
90.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 MVR 28.38
$0.57 ₺27.79
222.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 MVR 27.11
$0.43 ₺20.76
309.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.19 MVR 33.79
$0.93 ₺45.19
135.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 MVR 9.28
$0.64 ₺31.20
-6.25%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$11.48 MVR 177
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 MVR 39.92
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 MVR 69.1
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.07 MVR 232
$2.23 ₺108
575.78%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$11.94 ₺580
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.24 ₺109
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.97 ₺144
-
🚌 Getting Around
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.67 MVR 10.40
$0.80 ₺38.89
-16.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.66 MVR 457
$41.38 ₺2,009
-28.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 MVR 29.42
$1.52 ₺74.0
25.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 MVR 29.24
$0.85 ₺41.26
123.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.16 MVR 126
$7.97 ₺387
2.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 MVR 14.51
$1.33 ₺64.8
-29.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8K MVR 489.9K
$43.7K ₺2.1M
-27.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K MVR 463.4K
$42.1K ₺2.0M
-28.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$132 MVR 2,032
$75.9 ₺3,684
73.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.71 MVR 458
$10.31 ₺500
188.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.0 MVR 1,048
$15.65 ₺760
334.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.3 MVR 961
$54.3 ₺2,635
14.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99 MVR 324
$20.33 ₺987
3.25%
Cinema Ticket
$9.21 MVR 142
$7.41 ₺360
24.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$178 MVR 2,739
$680 ₺33.0K
-73.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,923 MVR 45.1K
$15.8K ₺769.5K
-81.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.49 MVR 578
$52.8 ₺2,562
-28.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.56 MVR 764
$43.65 ₺2,119
13.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.4 MVR 1,348
$101 ₺4,885
-13.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.5 MVR 794
$91.7 ₺4,453
-43.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$934 MVR 14.4K
$587 ₺28.5K
59.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$683 MVR 10.5K
$421 ₺20.4K
62.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,911 MVR 29.5K
$1,012 ₺49.1K
88.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,464 MVR 22.6K
$699 ₺33.9K
109.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,598 MVR 40.1K
$1,753 ₺85.1K
48.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$774 MVR 11.9K
$1,103 ₺53.6K
-29.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maldives
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$783 MVR 12.1K
$1,100 ₺53.4K
-28.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14
41.91
-66.60%

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

Last update for Maldives: September 7, 2026

Last update for Turkey: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $596 in Maldives, $458 in Turkey. Capital cities: $940 in Male vs $749 in Ankara.

National salary averages: $733 in Maldives, $1,058 in Turkey. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 30% higher in Maldives.

Dining out costs 80% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 125% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 44% higher in Turkey, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Turkey.

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 Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Maldives or Turkey?
At $766 per month in Maldives and $1,210 in Turkey, there's a 58% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Maldives or Turkey?
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.
How do rents compare between Maldives and Turkey?
Rent in Turkey 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.
How far does $2,000 go in Maldives compared to Turkey?
In Maldives, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Turkey it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Maldives and in Turkey?
It depends on what you're after: Maldives wins on affordability; Turkey may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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