Cost of Living Comparison Between Male and Hulhumale Cost of Living Comparison Between Male and Hulhumale

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Male versus $1,516 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,370 in Male versus $2,711 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,189 in Male versus $3,906 in Hulhumale.

Living in Male is roughly 2% more expensive than in Hulhumale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Male 16% above, Hulhumale 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 MVR 84.0

$5.38 MVR 83.0

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.34 MVR 452

$28.95 MVR 446

1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 MVR 152

$9.99 MVR 154

-1.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 MVR 68.1

$4.50 MVR 69.4

-1.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 MVR 59.2

$3.81 MVR 58.7

0.79%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MVR 45.76

$2.94 MVR 45.37

1.02%

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

$1.26 MVR 19.45

$1.31 MVR 20.26

-3.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MVR 4.18

$0.25 MVR 3.82

8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MVR 28.32

$1.81 MVR 27.83

1.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 MVR 23.81

$1.61 MVR 24.87

-4.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MVR 20.16

$0.33 MVR 5.09

296.97%

Eggs

$1.79 MVR 27.65

$1.54 MVR 23.76

16.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MVR 128

$8.31 MVR 128

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 MVR 95.7

$6.02 MVR 92.9

2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 MVR 136

$8.74 MVR 135

1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 MVR 60.8

$4.14 MVR 63.8

-4.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.89 MVR 60.1

$3.83 MVR 59.0

1.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 MVR 66.8

$4.26 MVR 65.7

1.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 MVR 50.8

$3.23 MVR 49.83

1.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MVR 24.25

$1.52 MVR 23.38

3.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MVR 18.26

$1.22 MVR 18.78

-3.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 MVR 49.55

$3.07 MVR 47.27

4.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MVR 8.26

$0.54 MVR 8.30

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.46 MVR 192

$12.45 MVR 192

0.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MVR 42.07

$2.65 MVR 40.83

3.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.20 MVR 157

$9.86 MVR 152

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 MVR 122

$7.87 MVR 121

0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MVR 10.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.47 MVR 439

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MVR 30.87

$2.00 MVR 30.83

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 MVR 30.78

$1.89 MVR 29.19

5.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.92 MVR 153

$9.94 MVR 153

-0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 MVR 13.71

$0.95 MVR 14.65

-6.32%

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

$31.9K MVR 491.3K

$32.5K MVR 501.9K

-2.11%

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

$33.9K MVR 522.9K

$33.8K MVR 521.0K

0.37%

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

$109 MVR 1,674

$106 MVR 1,632

2.53%

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

$41.03 MVR 633

$42.09 MVR 649

-2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.3 MVR 1,176

$41.60 MVR 641

83.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.0 MVR 1,249

$64.4 MVR 994

25.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.31 MVR 668

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 MVR 154

$9.83 MVR 152

1.32%

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

$162 MVR 2,502

$162 MVR 2,504

-0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,541 MVR 54.6K

$3,525 MVR 54.3K

0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.26 MVR 683

$44.06 MVR 679

0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 MVR 862

$56.9 MVR 878

-1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 MVR 1,379

$89.6 MVR 1,382

-0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 MVR 832

$54.9 MVR 846

-1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 MVR 14.8K

$1,319 MVR 20.3K

-27.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 MVR 11.0K

$769 MVR 11.9K

-7.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 MVR 26.5K

$2,902 MVR 44.7K

-40.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 MVR 21.8K

$2,305 MVR 35.5K

-38.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,236 MVR 34.5K

$5,446 MVR 84.0K

-58.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,412 MVR 21.8K

$498 MVR 7,685

183.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$821 MVR 12.7K

$718 MVR 11.1K

14.29%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $961 in Male and $1,319 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Male vs $29.00 in Hulhumale. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $225, with Hulhumale cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hulhumale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hulhumale wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Male. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hulhumale the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Male, 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: $961 in Male versus $1,319 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $162 in Male versus $162 in Hulhumale. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hulhumale – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $29.00 in Male. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,516 in Hulhumale versus $1,550 in Male, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hulhumale but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Hulhumale 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 Hulhumale 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 Hulhumale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.