Last update: Oct 2026 Maldives 5K

Cost of Living in Hulhumale

For one person, living costs in Hulhumale are estimated at $1,438 a month, including rent and utilities, which take almost two thirds of the total. Other living expenses average about $18 a day.

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hulhumale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hulhumale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Living costs for one person come to about $1,438 monthly including rent, or $559 excluding housing.

$1,438 /mo

Estimated monthly costs for a couple: $2,595 with rent, or $957 without housing.

$2,595 /mo

Monthly costs for a family of three come to about $3,752 including rent, or $1,354 for daily expenses alone.

$3,752 /mo

Hulhumale sits 6–33% above the global median across household types. Within Asia, costs are 36% above average – pricier than most cities in the region.

Currency
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🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.07 MVR 93.6
$4.92 MVR 75.8
$13.11 MVR 202
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.45 MVR 608
$25.40 MVR 392
$118 MVR 1,825
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 MVR 142
$8.27 MVR 128
$10.19 MVR 157
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.72 MVR 72.8
$1.95 MVR 30.00
$11.33 MVR 175
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 MVR 75.1
$2.60 MVR 40.09
$9.75 MVR 150
Cappuccino
$3.61 MVR 55.7
$1.02 MVR 15.74
$7.93 MVR 122
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 MVR 25.66
$1.00 MVR 15.37
$3.99 MVR 61.5
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 MVR 4.84
$0.20 MVR 3.07
$3.05 MVR 46.99
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 MVR 24.59
$1.30 MVR 20.05
$2.31 MVR 35.56
White Bread (500g)
$1.69 MVR 26.11
$1.32 MVR 20.41
$2.33 MVR 35.92
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.34 MVR 5.17
$0.34 MVR 5.17
$2.38 MVR 36.68
Eggs
$1.85 MVR 28.50
$1.58 MVR 24.40
$2.38 MVR 36.68
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.32 MVR 51.3
$3.32 MVR 51.3
$16.60 MVR 256
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.97 MVR 92.1
$3.18 MVR 49.08
$14.02 MVR 216
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.40 MVR 145
$6.48 MVR 99.9
$14.26 MVR 220
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 MVR 60.7
$2.26 MVR 34.79
$14.91 MVR 230
Banana (1kg)
$3.13 MVR 48.34
$1.99 MVR 30.75
$6.60 MVR 102
Oranges (1kg)
$2.92 MVR 45.05
$1.95 MVR 30.03
$9.04 MVR 139
Tomato (1kg)
$2.71 MVR 41.78
$1.64 MVR 25.26
$8.65 MVR 133
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 MVR 19.12
$0.90 MVR 13.81
$2.86 MVR 44.16
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 MVR 17.72
$0.66 MVR 10.19
$3.29 MVR 50.8
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.14 MVR 33.05
$1.65 MVR 25.50
$3.96 MVR 61.1
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 MVR 9.58
$0.33 MVR 5.11
$2.01 MVR 30.97
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$12.39 MVR 191
$3.25 MVR 50.1
$16.23 MVR 250
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 MVR 42.84
$1.98 MVR 30.56
$4.30 MVR 66.3
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 MVR 31.07
$1.99 MVR 30.75
$9.98 MVR 154
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.72 MVR 196
$8.91 MVR 137
$15.73 MVR 243
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 MVR 30.27
$1.96 MVR 30.27
$2.30 MVR 35.42
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 MVR 29.36
$1.90 MVR 29.36
$1.96 MVR 30.27
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.11 MVR 156
$6.54 MVR 101
$13.09 MVR 202
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 MVR 15.22
$0.86 MVR 13.24
$1.03 MVR 15.83
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.0K MVR 493.5K
$25.6K MVR 394.8K
$38.4K MVR 592.2K
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K MVR 453.9K
$29.4K MVR 453.9K
$35.7K MVR 551.0K
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 MVR 1,597
$64.7 MVR 998
$194 MVR 2,995
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.71 MVR 458
$24.72 MVR 381
$38.39 MVR 592
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.0 MVR 1,125
$38.91 MVR 600
$97.3 MVR 1,500
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 MVR 152
$7.87 MVR 121
$10.64 MVR 164
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$187 MVR 2,882
$131 MVR 2,021
$401 MVR 6,176
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,984 MVR 46.0K
$1,855 MVR 28.6K
$5,252 MVR 81.0K
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.39 MVR 607
$16.17 MVR 249
$64.7 MVR 997
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.44 MVR 762
$22.61 MVR 349
$96.9 MVR 1,495
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.4 MVR 1,332
$74.6 MVR 1,150
$96.5 MVR 1,488
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.9 MVR 816
$39.18 MVR 604
$75.7 MVR 1,167
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,121 MVR 17.3K
$961 MVR 14.8K
$1,281 MVR 19.7K
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$775 MVR 11.9K
$581 MVR 8,957
$968 MVR 14.9K
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,292 MVR 35.3K
$1,637 MVR 25.2K
$2,947 MVR 45.4K
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,294 MVR 35.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,300 MVR 81.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$499 MVR 7,689
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$725 MVR 11.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14
10
15

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

Last update: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Hulhumale $1,438
Accommodation & Living
$775
Monthly Utilities & Internet
$206
Groceries & Markets
$195
Eating Out
$128
Clothing & Footwear
$103
Sport & Entertainment
$20 *
Getting Around
$11 *

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Expect to pay about $1,121 for a central one-bedroom, or $775 outside the center. At 155% of the average salary ($725), housing is the biggest financial pressure.

Average take-home pay sits at $725, while typical expenses reach $1,438. The gap means tight budgeting for locals, though expats with foreign income can live comfortably.

Expect to spend about $195 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant costs roughly $39.00 for two – broadly in line with the Asian average.

Cost Highlights

Hulhumale has the 4th cheapest rice worldwide

3-bedroom apartment, outside city center is more expensive than 99% of cities in Asia

Internet is more expensive than 97% of cities in Asia

Good to know
🕒 Local time
08:18 8:18 AM
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MVR – Maldivian Rufiyaa Converter

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.34 MVR (100 MVR = 5.77 EUR).

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Hulhumale Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
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Cost of Living in Hulhumale - Frequently Asked Questions
How affordable is Hulhumale overall, and who tends to find good value here?
Hulhumale offers a practical balance between Malé’s hustle and a calmer island pace, often delivering better value for longer stays than resort-heavy spots. You’ll find a mix of older flats and newer apartments, with options that fit modest budgets if you’re flexible about location and building age. Cost of Living in Hulhumale is shaped by local markets, shared transport, and self-catering habits, which help keep daily costs predictable. For travelers, expats, and digital nomads, choosing a neighborhood near the bridge and leaning into communal spaces can stretch your budget further without sacrificing convenience. Tip: Start with a short-term stay to test neighborhoods and pick up local tips.
What does daily life look like in Hulhumale, including housing search, food options, transport, and errands?
Daily life centers on a compact footprint and accessible services. Housing search usually means scanning local listings for studio or one-bedroom units; many options cluster near the shoreline or main bus routes. Food can be affordable if you mix small local eateries with occasional takeout from larger stores; cooking at home with fish, vegetables, and staples saves money. Transport is straightforward: short hops via buses, taxis, or a rented scooter. Co-working spaces exist with reliable internet, and errands are manageable thanks to walkable neighborhoods and nearby markets. Hulhumale living cost stays reasonable when you blend lifestyle choices. Tip: Establish a weekly shopping routine and ask locals for reliable markets.
How can you evaluate quality of life, budgeting, and neighborhood fit, considering seasonality and pace?
Quality of life here depends on choosing a neighborhood that matches your pace and routines. If you want a quieter routine, look for mid-rise buildings near parks or waterfronts and a short ride to Malé for occasional needs. Build a flexible budgeting approach that centers housing as a base, then allocate for groceries from local markets, occasional dining out, and dependable internet for work. Seasonal shifts affect beaches, crowds, and service hours, so plan around calmer periods when possible. Get a feel for neighborhoods by visiting at different times of day. Tip: Talk with residents and test during both peak and off hours.
What is the average cost of living in Hulhumale?
A single person in Hulhumale typically spends $1,438 per month once rent is factored in. Strip out housing, and everyday essentials like groceries, utilities, transport, and personal spending land around $559. The final number shifts depending on your neighborhood, eating habits, and general lifestyle.
What is the average cost of living in Hulhumale in 2026?
As of 2026, monthly living costs in Hulhumale come to around $1,438 including rent, or roughly $559 excluding it. Numbers shift a bit by season and neighborhood, but this range works well as a planning baseline.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hulhumale?
Around $2,156 take-home puts you in a comfortable spot in Hulhumale – enough for rent, food, bills, and a bit of savings. Drop below that and you'll probably need to share a flat, stick to cooking at home, or pick a neighborhood further out.
What are typical rents in Hulhumale?
Where you live in Hulhumale makes all the difference. Central one-bedrooms cost about $1,121; commute-friendly outer districts come in around $775. Overall, the market runs from $775 to $1,121 depending on size, location, and apartment condition.
Is food expensive in Hulhumale?
At about $195 monthly, food costs in Hulhumale sit in moderate territory. A mix of local markets and supermarkets covers most needs at fair prices, and most residents eat well without having to pinch pennies.
How much does childcare cost in Hulhumale?
Childcare averages $187 monthly at a private kindergarten in Hulhumale. For many families, this single cost rivals rent, so it's essential to factor in before making a move.
Can a person live on $1,000 monthly in Hulhumale?
Living on $1,000 in Hulhumale means careful planning, since monthly costs average $1,438. It works with a cheap apartment and disciplined spending, but expect trade-offs on where you live, how often you eat out, and entertainment.
Is Hulhumale a good city for digital nomads?
Remote workers pick Hulhumale for good reason: low crime rates, family-friendly facilities, coastal lifestyle, all at about $1,438 per month including rent. It fits a wide range of remote salaries without compromising on comfort or connectivity.
Can you save money living in Hulhumale?
Monthly expenses in Hulhumale run around $1,438, so putting money aside takes more than $2,156 in income. Keeping housing costs low and avoiding lifestyle creep are the keys to building a decent savings rate here.

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