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: $1,488 in Male versus $1,412 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,416 in Male versus $2,546 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,344 in Male versus $3,679 in Hulhumale.

Living in Male is roughly 5% more expensive than in Hulhumale, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Male 8% above, Hulhumale 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.03 MVR 93.0

$6.10 MVR 94.0

-1.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.37 MVR 607

$39.40 MVR 608

-0.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 MVR 148

$9.41 MVR 145

2.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 MVR 76.4

$4.82 MVR 74.4

2.90%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MVR 76.7

$4.97 MVR 76.6

0.20%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MVR 54.3

$3.47 MVR 53.6

1.44%

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

$1.59 MVR 24.58

$1.66 MVR 25.63

-4.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MVR 4.85

$0.29 MVR 4.40

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 MVR 31.46

$1.55 MVR 23.92

31.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 MVR 26.18

$1.67 MVR 25.71

1.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MVR 18.50

$0.31 MVR 4.70

287.10%

Eggs

$1.95 MVR 30.10

$1.77 MVR 27.23

10.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 MVR 167

$3.32 MVR 51.1

226.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 MVR 91.5

$6.00 MVR 92.4

-1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.35 MVR 144

$9.59 MVR 148

-2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MVR 59.5

$4.01 MVR 61.8

-3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 MVR 48.02

$3.07 MVR 47.37

1.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 MVR 64.4

$2.98 MVR 45.98

39.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MVR 41.05

$2.74 MVR 42.24

-2.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 MVR 32.32

$1.28 MVR 19.67

64.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 MVR 29.39

$1.10 MVR 17.02

73.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 MVR 33.25

$2.12 MVR 32.67

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MVR 8.85

$0.63 MVR 9.66

-9.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

$12.45 MVR 192

-1.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.43

$2.69 MVR 41.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MVR 31.11

$1.99 MVR 30.70

1.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 MVR 225

$12.79 MVR 197

14.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MVR 10.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.14 MVR 465

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 MVR 30.59

$1.92 MVR 29.60

3.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 MVR 29.18

$1.90 MVR 29.32

-0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.17 MVR 157

$9.92 MVR 153

2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 MVR 15.84

$0.96 MVR 14.85

7.29%

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

$32.4K MVR 499.6K

$32.2K MVR 496.5K

0.62%

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

$29.4K MVR 454.0K

$29.6K MVR 456.8K

-0.60%

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

$119 MVR 1,831

$105 MVR 1,622

12.86%

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

$29.81 MVR 460

$29.51 MVR 455

1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.1 MVR 1,142

$73.6 MVR 1,135

0.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 MVR 1,094

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.22 MVR 528

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 MVR 150

$9.66 MVR 149

0.93%

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

$181 MVR 2,797

$184 MVR 2,835

-1.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,038 MVR 46.8K

$2,992 MVR 46.1K

1.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.85 MVR 599

$39.06 MVR 602

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.67 MVR 751

$48.81 MVR 753

-0.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 MVR 1,319

$88.3 MVR 1,361

-3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 MVR 803

$52.8 MVR 814

-1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 MVR 14.5K

$1,123 MVR 17.3K

-16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 MVR 10.9K

$788 MVR 12.1K

-10.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,060 MVR 31.8K

$2,273 MVR 35.0K

-9.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 MVR 23.6K

$2,248 MVR 34.7K

-31.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,269 MVR 35.0K

$5,400 MVR 83.3K

-57.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 MVR 21.4K

$502 MVR 7,739

176.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$824 MVR 12.7K

$725 MVR 11.2K

13.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Male: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $940 in Male and $1,123 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: $39.00 in Male vs $39.00 in Hulhumale. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $195, 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 5% 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: $940 in Male versus $1,123 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $181 in Male versus $184 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 $39.00 versus $39.00 in Male. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,412 in Hulhumale versus $1,488 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 5% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.