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: $1,520 in Male versus $1,521 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,372 in Male versus $2,721 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,224 in Male versus $3,921 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs are close between Male and Hulhumale; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Male 13% above, Hulhumale 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 MVR 83.6

$5.38 MVR 83.0

0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.79 MVR 459

$29.74 MVR 459

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 MVR 150

$9.59 MVR 148

1.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.67 MVR 72.0

$4.43 MVR 68.4

5.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MVR 58.2

$3.79 MVR 58.4

-0.26%

Cappuccino

$2.90 MVR 44.68

$2.94 MVR 45.30

-1.36%

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

$1.33 MVR 20.47

$1.27 MVR 19.58

4.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.81

$0.27 MVR 4.19

-7.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MVR 28.32

$1.81 MVR 27.90

1.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 MVR 24.08

$1.57 MVR 24.15

-0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MVR 20.17

$0.31 MVR 4.71

322.58%

Eggs

$1.78 MVR 27.51

$1.53 MVR 23.60

16.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 MVR 124

$8.22 MVR 127

-2.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 MVR 96.5

$6.11 MVR 94.2

2.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 MVR 136

$8.65 MVR 133

1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 MVR 63.3

$4.01 MVR 61.8

2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.82 MVR 58.9

$3.73 MVR 57.5

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 MVR 65.4

$4.39 MVR 67.7

-3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 MVR 49.74

$3.22 MVR 49.66

0.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MVR 24.20

$1.55 MVR 23.96

1.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MVR 18.05

$1.23 MVR 18.96

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 MVR 49.04

$3.13 MVR 48.29

1.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MVR 7.65

$0.50 MVR 7.68

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.50 MVR 193

$12.23 MVR 189

2.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MVR 41.85

$2.66 MVR 41.07

1.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.53 MVR 162

$10.00 MVR 154

5.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.07 MVR 124

$8.34 MVR 129

-3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MVR 10.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.92 MVR 446

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MVR 30.68

$1.98 MVR 30.56

0.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 MVR 30.93

$1.92 MVR 29.68

4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.86 MVR 152

$9.52 MVR 147

3.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 MVR 13.79

$0.96 MVR 14.84

-7.29%

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

$32.8K MVR 505.3K

$32.6K MVR 502.3K

0.59%

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

$34.4K MVR 530.9K

$34.4K MVR 530.5K

0.08%

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

$105 MVR 1,626

$107 MVR 1,650

-1.44%

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

$41.44 MVR 639

$42.13 MVR 650

-1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 MVR 1,211

$42.52 MVR 656

84.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 MVR 1,227

$65.1 MVR 1,004

22.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.64 MVR 673

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 MVR 147

$9.52 MVR 147

-0.11%

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

$162 MVR 2,495

$160 MVR 2,460

1.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,617 MVR 55.8K

$3,594 MVR 55.4K

0.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.40 MVR 685

$45.16 MVR 696

-1.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MVR 880

$56.3 MVR 868

1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 MVR 1,364

$88.7 MVR 1,368

-0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 MVR 817

$53.4 MVR 823

-0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 MVR 14.6K

$1,294 MVR 20.0K

-26.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 MVR 10.8K

$768 MVR 11.8K

-9.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 MVR 26.0K

$2,918 MVR 45.0K

-42.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 MVR 22.2K

$2,283 MVR 35.2K

-36.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,282 MVR 35.2K

$5,384 MVR 83.0K

-57.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 MVR 29.0K

$494 MVR 7,620

281.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MVR 13.4K

$710 MVR 10.9K

22.21%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $949 in Male and $1,294 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 22% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $30.00 in Male vs $30.00 in Hulhumale. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $224, 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

Male pays 22% 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: $949 in Male versus $1,294 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hulhumale pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Male – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $30.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,520 in Male versus $1,521 in Hulhumale, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Male but tight or insufficient in Hulhumale. The gap between the two cities makes Male 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.

It comes down to priorities – Male wins on affordability, Hulhumale on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.