Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Male and Gan

For one person, living is cheaper in Gan: $43.75 a month against $1,530 in Male, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Male
Learn more

Male Living Index

Jump to prices

Male

🇲🇻 Maldives

$1,530

/mo nomad

Gan

🇲🇻 Maldives

$43.75

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Male and in Gan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Male and in Gan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,530 per month in Male vs $43.75 in Gan, rent included.

Male $1,530
Gan $43.75

A couple spends around $2,451 per month in Male vs $71.1 in Gan, rent included.

Male $2,451
Gan $71.1

A family of three spends $3,373 per month in Male vs $98.4 in Gan, rent included.

Male $3,373
Gan $98.4

Male costs about 3397% more than Gan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Male sits 13% above the global median, while Gan is 97% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 MVR 89.7

$5.47 MVR 84.3

6.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.04 MVR 602

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 MVR 152

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.80 MVR 74.0

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MVR 75.5

Cappuccino

$3.51 MVR 54.1

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

$1.67 MVR 25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MVR 4.80

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MVR 30.68

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 MVR 26.08

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MVR 19.33

Eggs

$1.88 MVR 29.07

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 MVR 164

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 MVR 95.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MVR 147

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 MVR 61.4

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 MVR 45.98

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 MVR 62.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 MVR 42.16

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MVR 32.01

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MVR 28.77

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 MVR 32.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MVR 9.09

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.47 MVR 192

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MVR 40.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MVR 29.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.18 MVR 234

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MVR 10.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.32 MVR 467

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MVR 30.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 MVR 30.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 MVR 157

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 MVR 15.19

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

$32.1K MVR 495.0K

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

$29.2K MVR 451.0K

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

$119 MVR 1,829

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

$30.12 MVR 465

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 MVR 1,140

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 MVR 1,100

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.67 MVR 519

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 MVR 150

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

$181 MVR 2,797

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,056 MVR 47.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.52 MVR 609

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.45 MVR 763

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 MVR 1,323

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MVR 812

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 MVR 14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MVR 10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 MVR 31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 MVR 24.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,213 MVR 34.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,385 MVR 21.4K

$559 MVR 8,613

147.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 MVR 13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Male: October 12, 2026

Last update for Gan: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Male

$709 46.4%

Gan

–

Groceries & Markets

Male

$234 15.3%

Gan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Male

$223 14.6%

Gan

–

Eating Out

Male

$126 8.2%

Gan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Male

$102 6.7%

Gan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Male

$91 5.9%

Gan

–

Getting Around

Male

$45 2.9%

Gan

–

Good to know

🇲🇻 Male

🇲🇻 Gan

🕒 Local time

16:36 4:36 PM

Same time as Male

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,693 Capital

💱 Currency

Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf

📈 Exchange rate

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.77 EUR

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Male Gan 250 km

From you

Male
Gan

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

Male vs Gan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Male is pricier by about 3397%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,295 per month in Male and $65.6 in Gan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gan, where all-in costs run around $43.75, than in Male at $1,530. In Gan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Male it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Male makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.