Query about the expenses to stay in maldives and how much i can save

Hi,
I hope someone local could answer you
It seems really not so much
A minimum would be 1000$
Maldives cost of life is known to be expensive, so it’s good you have an accommodation and food provided
Maybe because you come from India, they offer this amount which is perhaps a good deal... I don’t know
Hope a legitimate someone will answer you here
Take care

Hi,

Local here.

I doubt you can save much unless you are living here in the Maldives alone. Since accommodation and food are free. You can save most of your salary.

Hi  Xayan,
Thanks for responding.
Could you tell us why cost of living is expensive when locals don’t earn much money
I mean, how do they live?
What is their main source of revenue?
It’s incredible to see rent for 1000$/month there like London or Paris 🤷🏽‍♀️

Male' is a very rich country in reality compared to other island nations, real estate prices has inflated to prices way beyond what we can grasp. There is no telling for sure exactly what is driving it, either politics or just greedy businessman.

Main occupation for maldivians is the hospitality and fisheries industry.

Male is expensive in comparison to neighbouring countries. 1$ = 15.4 MVR

I can share cost of few items which you might need.
Bread - 16 MVR to 25 MVR
Chicken breast - 75MVR for 1 kg
MILK - 25MVR - 35MVR
Onion - 60 MVR for 1 kg
Tomatoes - 69 MVR for 1 kg
Juice - 30 MVR for 1 litre
Egg - 1.75 MVR for 1 piece
Sausages - 20 MVR
Maggi - 4.75 MVR
Cappuccino - 35 MVR
Beer - 6$ at HIH

Let me know if you need any other information.

The main reason behind expensive living cost is centralized governance of Maldives, since most of higher education and proper medical facilities are based in Malé city (which is the capital city), most Islanders move to Malé city in hope to educate their children and for a chance to live a better life. Since job demand is also higher in Malé city as well. This for the recent decade has created a vicious cycle of rich landlords and high land value/rents. If you would like to check recent apartment listings you can visit www.ibay.com.mv and browse the Apartments section, you can also browse a lot of other sections and get an idea of some pricings. iBay is the largest online marketplace in the Maldives.

Also would like to mention, a cheaper option for accommodation is in Hulhumalé, a nearby city connected to the main Malé city via a bridge, accommodation is cheaper compared to most Malé city options, plus its way easier and uncongested compared to Malé city. You can easily get transportation by bus connections from Malé city to Hulhumalé (at various stops) each fare is MVR 10 (approx. USD 0.65) per trip. Maybe check it out from iBay listings. Hope this helps.