Cost Of Living For a Student in Maldives 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: MVR
Average monthly spending for students in Maldives
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Maldives?
Students in Maldives spend around 9,300 MVR per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 1,400 MVR or as high as 62,000 MVR. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Maldives
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 48,000 MVR | 96,000 MVR | 130,000 MVR |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 1,600 MVR | 2,400 MVR | 6,400 MVR |
1-bedroom apartment
| 2,400 MVR | 3,800 MVR | 9,600 MVR |
2-bedroom apartment
| 3,200 MVR | 4,800 MVR | 13,000 MVR |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 320,000 MVR | 480,000 MVR | 960,000 MVR |
1-bedroom apartment
| 380,000 MVR | 640,000 MVR | 2.4M MVR |
2-bedroom apartment
| 640,000 MVR | 1.9M MVR | 3.8M MVR |
| $41,000 | $120,000 | $250,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 1,900 MVR | 2,400 MVR | 3,200 MVR |
Double Bed
| 1,300 MVR | 1,900 MVR | 2,400 MVR |
Single Bed
| 1,100 MVR | 1,500 MVR | 1,900 MVR |
Living Room
| 2,100 MVR | 2,700 MVR | 9,600 MVR |
Dining Table
| 960 MVR | 1,300 MVR | 2,400 MVR |
Sofa or Couch
| 1,300 MVR | 1,700 MVR | 3,800 MVR |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 1,300 MVR | 1,900 MVR | 3,800 MVR |
Fridge or Freezer
| 1,100 MVR | 1,700 MVR | 2,400 MVR |
Washing Machine
| 1,500 MVR | 2,100 MVR | 3,800 MVR |
Stove or Cooker
| 1,400 MVR | 1,700 MVR | 2,400 MVR |
Mobile Phone
| 1,600 MVR | 1,900 MVR | 2,700 MVR |
Laptop or Computer
| 1,700 MVR | 2,100 MVR | 3,800 MVR |
How do students spend their money in Maldives?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost21%
21% of total expenses on average (16% to 27%)
| LOW | $22 340 MVR |
| AVERAGE | $150 2,200 MVR |
| HIGH | $970 15,000 MVR |
| Per Month |
Students in Maldives typically spend from 16% to 27% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 21% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 2,200 MVR with expenditure ranging from 340 MVR to 15,000 MVR. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities5%
5% of total expenses on average (3% to 9%)
| LOW | $3.7 57 MVR |
| AVERAGE | $24 370 MVR |
| HIGH | $160 2,500 MVR |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Maldives ranges from 3% to 9% of total expenses with 5% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 370 MVR with 57 MVR and 2,500 MVR being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel5%
5% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $6.5 100 MVR |
| AVERAGE | $42 650 MVR |
| HIGH | $280 4,400 MVR |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 100 MVR to 4,400 MVR in a month on commuting with 650 MVR being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 5% of total spending on average but can go as low as 5% or as high as 11%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost22%
22% of total expenses on average (16% to 26%)
| LOW | $18 280 MVR |
| AVERAGE | $120 1,900 MVR |
| HIGH | $810 12,000 MVR |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Maldives is 1,900 MVR. The cost of groceries can range between 280 MVR to 12,000 MVR. Students spend on average about 22% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 16% and 26% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare8%
8% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $5.5 85 MVR |
| AVERAGE | $36 560 MVR |
| HIGH | $240 3,700 MVR |
| Per Month |
Students in Maldives allocate 5% to 11% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 8%. The range of medical expenses range from 85 MVR to 3,700 MVR with 560 MVR being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping4%
4% of total expenses on average (2% to 8%)
| LOW | $4.6 71 MVR |
| AVERAGE | $30 470 MVR |
| HIGH | $200 3,100 MVR |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 71 MVR to 3,100 MVR with 470 MVR being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 8% of total expenses with an average of 4% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling19%
19% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $18 270 MVR |
| AVERAGE | $120 1,800 MVR |
| HIGH | $770 12,000 MVR |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 19% of the monthly expenditure of students with 12% and 24% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 1,800 MVR per month with 270 MVR being the minimum spent amount and 12,000 MVR being the maximum.
Other Expenses17%
17% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $14 210 MVR |
| AVERAGE | $91 1,400 MVR |
| HIGH | $610 9,300 MVR |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Maldives
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Maldives?
Around 61% of surveyed students think that living in Maldives is affordable with proper budgeting while 39% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Maldives
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options57%
Few low-cost options43%
Based on the survey, 57% of the students living in Maldives have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 43% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Maldives whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes58%
No42%
Based on the survey, 42% of the students living in Maldives said that they don't have an emergency fund while 58% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Maldives
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy56%
We asked student guardians and parents in Maldives whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 44% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 56% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Maldives have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 43% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 57% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance43%
Easily manages finances57%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Maldives
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Maldives
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,600 MVR | 2,400 MVR | 6,400 MVR |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,400 MVR | 3,800 MVR | 9,600 MVR |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,200 MVR | 4,800 MVR | 13,000 MVR |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,800 MVR | 6,400 MVR | 17,000 MVR |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 7,700 MVR | 19,000 MVR | 38,000 MVR |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 6,400 MVR | 9,600 MVR | 27,000 MVR |
House monthly rent cost
| 7,700 MVR | 19,000 MVR | 38,000 MVR |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 9,600 MVR | 24,000 MVR | 38,000 MVR |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Maldives ranges between 1,600 MVR and 6,400 MVR, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 2,400 MVR to 9,600 MVR. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 3,200 MVR and 13,000 MVR per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 3,800 MVR to 17,000 MVR. The average rent of a townhouse in Maldives is around 9,600 MVR while house rental costs can be as high as 19,000 MVR per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 9,600 MVR to 38,000 MVR per month.
Apartment and house prices in Maldives
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 320,000 MVR | 480,000 MVR | 960,000 MVR |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 380,000 MVR | 640,000 MVR | 2.4M MVR |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 640,000 MVR | 1.9M MVR | 3.8M MVR |
| $41,000 | $120,000 | $250,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 2.1M MVR | 3.2M MVR | 9.6M MVR |
| $140,000 | $210,000 | $620,000 |
Townhouse price
| 2.7M MVR | 6.4M MVR | 24M MVR |
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Maldives can range from 320,000 MVR to 960,000 MVR depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 380,000 MVR to 2.4M MVR. A villa can cost you 21M MVR on average with prices ranging from 3.8M MVR to 32M MVR.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Maldives will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 40 | x116 monthly income | 209 |
Property prices in Maldives can be x116 to x209 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x116 multiples of the average monthly salary in Maldives.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Maldives is around 32%. This means that people pay 32% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 22% to 42% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
30% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Maldives
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Maldives
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 370 MVR. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 96 MVR to 260 MVR with 190 MVR being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 130 MVR but can range between 77 MVR and 380 MVR depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Maldives is around 5%. This means that people pay 5% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 2% to 9% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Maldives
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Maldives
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Maldives is approximatly 38 MVR with meal cost ranging from 19 MVR to 64 MVR. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 64 MVR and 190 MVR with 96 MVR being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Maldives.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 130 MVR to 770 MVR with the average cost being 190 MVR for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Maldives.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Maldives is around 26 MVR. Price ranges between 16 MVR and 38 MVR depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Maldives is 15 MVR. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 19 MVR and the minimum being 13 MVR depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 13 MVR on average with 9.6 MVR and 19 MVR being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Maldives is between 22 MVR and 40 MVR depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 28 MVR.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 38 MVR. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Maldives costs around 14 MVR on average with prices rangeing between 10 MVR and 20 MVR depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 3.8 MVR to 9.6 MVR. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 9 MVR on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Maldives is around 26%. This means that students spend 26% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 18% to 32% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 280 MVR to 12,000 MVR with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
