Maldives
The compact capital of the Maldives, a densely packed island city surrounded by impossibly turquoise waters, famous for its colorful mosques, fish markets, and gateway to luxury resort atolls.
#223 of 250
84% below average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 230
Based on NYC = 100 index
Total does not include Housing, Basic Grocery Basket, Restaurants, Entertainment, & Healthcare — no scraped prices there (N/A)
Malé is the 223. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 230 for one adult.
Most of that goes on clothing, which runs 51% above the median city and adds $ 14 a month: jeans (levis or similar) $ 49, summer dress (chain store) $ 59. It is also pricier than usual for utilities.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is transportation, 27% below the median: taxi start $ 2, taxi 1km $ 0.97.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
4 prices on this page come from live scrapers (1 sources, observed October 14, 2026 to October 14, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Malé, Maldives. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/male. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 48.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Local Clothing Shops (frontier markets) |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 58.70 / item | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Local Clothing Shops (frontier markets) |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 137.13 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Local Clothing Shops (frontier markets) |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 142.30 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Local Clothing Shops (frontier markets) |
Similar destinations to explore
Monthly average costs by category
N/A
N/A
N/A
$ 47
per month
$ 142
per month
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N/A
$ 41
per month