😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,081 in Turkey versus $960 in Maldives.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,676 in Turkey versus $1,569 in Maldives.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,271 in Turkey versus $2,177 in Maldives.
😐Living in Turkey is roughly 13% more expensive than Maldives on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Turkey19% lower, Maldives28% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Maldives: monthly costs span $43.00 to $1,524, compared to $866–$1,732 in Turkey. City choice carries more weight in Maldives.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.92₺410
$5.88MVR 90.7
51.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.84₺1,784
$48.78MVR 752
-20.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.80₺358
$9.62MVR 148
-18.92%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.62MVR 71.2
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.90MVR 91.0
-
Cappuccino
$3.18₺146
$3.13MVR 48.25
1.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26₺58.1
$1.46MVR 22.53
-13.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₺22.59
$0.35MVR 5.33
40.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.63₺167
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65₺214
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.99₺45.66
$1.68MVR 25.94
-41.07%
White Bread(500g)
$0.79₺36.44
$1.53MVR 23.59
-48.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.13₺97.7
$1.11MVR 17.16
91.89%
Eggs
$2.32₺107
$1.63MVR 25.14
42.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.78₺449
$7.78MVR 120
25.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.70₺262
$6.04MVR 93.1
-5.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.78₺909
$10.08MVR 155
96.23%
Apples(1kg)
$1.34₺61.6
$4.03MVR 62.2
-66.75%
Banana(1kg)
$2.19₺101
$3.81MVR 58.7
-42.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.18₺54.3
$3.91MVR 60.3
-69.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.46₺67.1
$3.42MVR 52.7
-57.31%
Potato(1kg)
$0.76₺34.86
$1.49MVR 22.92
-48.99%
Onion(1kg)
$0.61₺28.15
$1.22MVR 18.83
-50.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.00₺45.86
$2.42MVR 37.33
-58.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51₺23.31
$0.65MVR 9.99
-21.54%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$11.48MVR 177
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.74MVR 42.22
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$8.39MVR 129
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.21₺101
$8.15MVR 126
-72.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.87₺499
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.15₺98.6
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82₺130
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.70₺32.26
$0.64MVR 9.80
9.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$44.97₺2,066
$27.75MVR 428
62.05%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.06₺48.55
$1.90MVR 29.31
-44.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.66₺30.23
$1.93MVR 29.69
-65.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.61₺349
$8.06MVR 124
-5.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.19₺54.5
$0.92MVR 14.15
29.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.2K₺2.0M
$31.8KMVR 491.0K
35.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.4K₺2.0M
$30.4KMVR 469.4K
42.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.3₺3,185
$115MVR 1,772
-39.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.88₺500
$41.99MVR 648
-74.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.03₺645
$71.5MVR 1,103
-80.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.89₺2,292
$77.5MVR 1,195
-35.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.02₺828
$35.22MVR 543
-48.84%
Cinema Ticket
$6.53₺300
$9.35MVR 144
-30.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$626₺28.7K
$173MVR 2,671
261.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.0K₺596.0K
$3,272MVR 50.4K
296.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3₺2,448
$41.48MVR 640
28.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.13₺1,982
$50.6MVR 781
-14.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108₺4,946
$82.6MVR 1,274
30.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7₺4,399
$52.6MVR 811
82.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$627₺28.8K
$1,013MVR 15.6K
-38.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$454₺20.9K
$684MVR 10.6K
-33.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,175₺54.0K
$1,660MVR 25.6K
-29.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$726₺33.3K
$1,395MVR 21.5K
-47.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,741₺80.0K
$2,603MVR 40.1K
-33.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,078₺49.5K
$849MVR 13.1K
26.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkey
Maldives
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,056₺48.5K
$801MVR 12.4K
31.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
42.38
12.4
241.77%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Turkey: May 31, 2026
Last update for Maldives: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $528 in Turkey, $652 in Maldives. Capital cities: $741 in Ankara vs $970 in Male.
💰National salary averages: $1,056 in Turkey, $749 in Maldives. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 23% higher in Maldives.
⭐Dining out costs 100% more in Turkey.
⭐Public transport is 158% more expensive in Turkey.
⭐Salaries are 41% higher in Turkey, giving Turkey stronger purchasing power.
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
Turkey vs Maldives: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Maldives or Turkey?
At $784 per month in Maldives and $1,299 in Turkey, there's a 66% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Maldives or Turkey?
Maldives is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Maldives and Turkey?
Rent in Turkey beats Maldives across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Maldives vs Turkey?
In Maldives, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Turkey, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Maldives and Turkey?
It depends on what you're after. Maldives wins on affordability; Turkey may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.