Asia · Male
Cost of living in Maldives
Maldives is 48% cheaper than the US, ranking #81 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In Maldives, housing & utilities is the priciest category relative to the world (137), while health is the most affordable (53).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $52,000 in Maldives.
Quality of life
92/100 · #47 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About Maldives
A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887 and a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. After political demonstrations in the capital Male in 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005.
Read the full background
In 2008, a constituent assembly -- termed the "Special Majlis" -- finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held later that year. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist whom the regime had jailed several years earlier. In 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to a top judge's arrest, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded that there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contended that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. In 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to parliamentarian Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH. YAMEEN was arrested and jailed in 2022 on corruption charges. Maldives' fourth democratic election was held in September 2023. The winner, Male City Mayor Dr. Mohamed MUIZZU, campaigned on a platform of Maldivian sovereignty, vowing to remove Indian military personnel from the country. MUIZZU represents a joint Progressive Pary of Maldives and People's National Congress (PPM/PNC) coalition.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is Maldives expensive to live in?
Maldives is 48% cheaper than the US, ranking #81 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is housing & utilities; health costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in Maldives?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $52,000 in Maldives, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is Maldives cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 51.9, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in Maldives?
Maldives scores 92 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#47 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 81 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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