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: $1,528 in Male versus $1,506 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,370 in Male versus $2,680 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,211 in Male versus $3,854 in Hulhumale.

Living in Male is roughly 1% more expensive than Hulhumale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Male 14% above, Hulhumale 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.31 MVR 82.1

$5.41 MVR 83.6

-1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.64 MVR 458

$28.88 MVR 446

2.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 MVR 148

$9.97 MVR 154

-3.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 MVR 70.6

$4.58 MVR 70.7

-0.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MVR 56.5

$3.74 MVR 57.8

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MVR 45.43

$2.84 MVR 43.93

3.52%

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

$1.33 MVR 20.53

$1.33 MVR 20.51

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.82

$0.25 MVR 3.86

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MVR 28.80

$1.78 MVR 27.45

4.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 MVR 24.72

$1.55 MVR 23.92

3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MVR 20.34

$0.33 MVR 5.17

300.00%

Eggs

$1.78 MVR 27.54

$1.54 MVR 23.87

15.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 MVR 126

$8.01 MVR 124

2.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 MVR 97.9

$6.05 MVR 93.5

4.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 MVR 134

$8.63 MVR 133

0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 MVR 60.5

$3.98 MVR 61.5

-1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.69 MVR 57.0

$3.71 MVR 57.3

-0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 MVR 66.8

$4.21 MVR 65.1

2.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.26 MVR 50.4

$3.24 MVR 50.0

0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 MVR 24.16

$1.52 MVR 23.44

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MVR 18.87

$1.23 MVR 19.08

-0.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.22 MVR 49.70

$3.06 MVR 47.31

5.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MVR 7.70

$0.50 MVR 7.68

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.31 MVR 190

$12.23 MVR 189

0.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 41.04

$2.66 MVR 41.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.19 MVR 157

$9.80 MVR 151

3.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.05 MVR 124

$7.92 MVR 122

1.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MVR 9.73

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.68 MVR 443

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MVR 29.70

$2.00 MVR 30.98

-4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 MVR 30.46

$1.94 MVR 29.93

1.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 MVR 153

$9.98 MVR 154

-0.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 MVR 13.72

$0.91 MVR 14.12

-2.20%

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

$31.9K MVR 493.3K

$32.6K MVR 503.7K

-2.07%

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

$34.4K MVR 531.9K

$34.0K MVR 525.9K

1.13%

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

$105 MVR 1,627

$108 MVR 1,670

-2.55%

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

$41.81 MVR 646

$40.96 MVR 633

2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 MVR 1,172

$41.62 MVR 643

82.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.0 MVR 1,252

$65.7 MVR 1,015

23.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.19 MVR 667

Cinema Ticket

$9.55 MVR 148

$9.89 MVR 153

-3.44%

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

$167 MVR 2,573

$165 MVR 2,553

0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,535 MVR 54.6K

$3,595 MVR 55.5K

-1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.92 MVR 694

$44.10 MVR 681

1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MVR 880

$56.9 MVR 879

0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 MVR 1,387

$90.7 MVR 1,401

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 MVR 829

$53.3 MVR 824

0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 MVR 14.5K

$1,279 MVR 19.8K

-26.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MVR 10.8K

$774 MVR 12.0K

-9.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 MVR 26.0K

$2,878 MVR 44.5K

-41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 MVR 21.7K

$2,292 MVR 35.4K

-38.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,253 MVR 34.8K

$5,375 MVR 83.0K

-58.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,878 MVR 29.0K

$494 MVR 7,632

280.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 MVR 13.1K

$709 MVR 10.9K

19.50%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $941 in Male and $1,279 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 19% 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: $30.00 in Male vs $29.00 in Hulhumale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $221 per month, with Hulhumale cheaper across the board.

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 1% 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.

Male pays 19% 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: $941 in Male versus $1,279 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $167 in Male versus $165 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 $30.00 in Male. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,506 in Hulhumale versus $1,528 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 1% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.