Cost of Living Comparison Between Male and Fuvahmulah Cost of Living Comparison Between Male and Fuvahmulah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,524 in Male versus $779 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,378 in Male versus $1,126 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,232 in Male versus $1,474 in Fuvahmulah.

Living in Male is roughly 96% more expensive than Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Male is 14% above, Fuvahmulah is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MVR 85.0

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.17 MVR 450

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 MVR 152

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MVR 68.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MVR 56.0

Cappuccino

$2.86 MVR 44.15

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MVR 19.76

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.83

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MVR 27.55

$1.61 MVR 24.75

11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 MVR 23.96

$0.92 MVR 14.18

68.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MVR 20.89

$0.47 MVR 7.28

187.23%

Eggs

$1.80 MVR 27.76

$1.53 MVR 23.62

17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 MVR 128

$6.52 MVR 101

26.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 MVR 97.1

$4.71 MVR 72.6

33.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 MVR 141

$13.03 MVR 201

-30.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 MVR 63.8

$3.20 MVR 49.27

29.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.78 MVR 58.3

$1.29 MVR 19.83

193.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 MVR 66.8

$3.31 MVR 51.1

30.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 MVR 49.24

$1.60 MVR 24.61

99.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 MVR 22.98

$1.08 MVR 16.65

37.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MVR 18.91

$1.11 MVR 17.16

10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 MVR 47.22

$1.60 MVR 24.71

91.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MVR 7.83

$0.63 MVR 9.74

-19.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

$3.81 MVR 58.8

222.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.51 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 MVR 128

$6.93 MVR 107

20.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MVR 10.18

$0.64 MVR 9.80

3.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.81 MVR 444

$19.35 MVR 298

48.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 MVR 29.87

$1.65 MVR 25.47

17.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 MVR 29.43

$1.65 MVR 25.51

15.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 MVR 154

$6.58 MVR 101

51.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 MVR 14.17

$1.32 MVR 20.29

-30.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.2K MVR 497.2K

$19.5K MVR 301.2K

65.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.6K MVR 534.0K

$22.5K MVR 347.7K

53.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$105 MVR 1,613

$159 MVR 2,456

-34.35%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.62 MVR 642

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 MVR 1,182

$38.49 MVR 594

99.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 MVR 1,242

$22.51 MVR 347

257.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.50 MVR 671

$13.06 MVR 201

233.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 MVR 151

$6.55 MVR 101

49.77%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$163 MVR 2,521

$154 MVR 2,379

5.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,626 MVR 55.9K

$2,284 MVR 35.2K

58.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.36 MVR 700

$28.82 MVR 444

57.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 MVR 860

$18.82 MVR 290

196.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 MVR 1,383

$38.43 MVR 593

133.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.4 MVR 839

$52.1 MVR 803

4.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 MVR 15.0K

$325 MVR 5,014

198.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 MVR 10.8K

$262 MVR 4,040

167.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 MVR 26.2K

$553 MVR 8,532

207.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 MVR 22.0K

$512 MVR 7,899

178.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,300 MVR 35.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,905 MVR 29.4K

$352 MVR 5,430

441.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 MVR 13.2K

$665 MVR 10.3K

28.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

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

Last update for Male: May 31, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Male and $325 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 29% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Male vs Fuvahmulah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuvahmulah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Male pays 29% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $970 in Male versus $325 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $163 in Male versus $154 in Fuvahmulah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Fuvahmulah runs roughly 49% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $779 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,524 in Male, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fuvahmulah but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Fuvahmulah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Male and Fuvahmulah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fuvahmulah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.