This information is for Non Resident Indians who want to send money to somebody regularly, say monthly. There are many ways like Western Union, Bank transfer, Cash Xpress, etc. I came across this service while I was searching for a solution from transferring PayPal funds to Indian bank account, which was available until last month. PayPal has now put a restriction right now due to some un-confirmed reasons.

Now to the topic of this post, you can use ATMCASH service to transfer funds from your bank account or Credit card, but not PayPal account.

Sign up with ATMCASH, tell us who to send the money to and how much to send. You can use your credit card or checking account. ATMCASH sends your friend or relative a prepaid ATMCASH card via FedEx and sends you the secure PIN code via the mail. The recipient can then withdraw the money at any ATM in India that accepts MasterCard using their ATMCASH card once you reveal to them the PIN.

Our customers in India appreciate no more waiting in lines or expensive fees. You can withdraw as much cash as you need when you need it. There is no need to carry around all the cash at once. The card recipient can add additional funds whenever you want. To send money to India sign up with ATMCASH, or call us now at 1-888-ATM-CASH to send money.

Once you register, you can decide the money to be sent (Charges US 5 for sending US$ 1000.00). An ATM card will be couriered to the recipient via FedEx the first time and the next time as soon as you do the transfer, the amount sent will be credited to the card so the person holding the card can withdraw instantly.

Hello Address is a real estate service owned by the Malayala Manorama Group. This is an attempt to help to buy and sell properties in Kerala. You can register at this site for free and post your requirements. You will also find details of the properties to be sold categorized district wise. You can also search for properties for sale using the search feature, where you can mention your interested location.

You will find lots of information on this portal like Featured Builders, New Properties, Rental Properties, etc.

Check out this service if you are looking for any property or want to sell your property.

TMA is one of the private airlines operators in Maldives. It operates domestic flights as well as uses sea planes for resort transfers.

Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) has revealed that it will soon suspend its domestic operations due to the economic difficulties being experienced world wide. Read More..

I have used TMA many times to travel to different resorts. TMA has good service, but due to the economic slow down the company has decided to suspend their services some sectors and layoff some employees to cut down the cost.

You can find the best brand available at the Liquor and Tobacco Shop at the Male’ International Airport

This one costs US$ 2200, Hennessy Richard Conac

Another costly ones, Remy Louis XIII US$ 1999.00

Alcohol is not allowed in Male’ the capital of Maldives, but you can have  it in resort or the Airport Hotel in Hulhule. Expatriates working in Maldives can apply for a liquor permit and have it at home respecting the laws in Maldives.

During Presidents Nasheed’s recent visit to India, India and Maldives had agreed in co-operation in Airlines service. Today I read a news stating that Kingfisher Airlines will be starting its service to Maldives.

Its really tough to get a ticket during peek seasons from Indian Airlines. This could give a relief to the travelers, especially the expatriates working in Maldives. Kingfisher is the leading Private Airlines in India.

If you have a dollar account with Bank Of Maldives and have more than US$ 100, then go to the bank with a cheque above US$100 and try to encash it. You will not be able to withdraw your money in US$ even though you have deposited hard earned cash to your bank account. They will offer you to pay by Maldivian Rufiyaa instead or you have to encash US$100 per day. The higher limit to withdraw US$ in cash is set to US$100 per day even if you have money in your Dollar account with Bank of Maldives.

There is an acute shortage of US$ in Maldives, but the Government claims that this will be sorted out in next 2 months time or even if needed the Rufiyaa will be devalued.

A country which depends on imports for most of the products needed for daily use needs to have sufficient foreign currency for making foreign remittance, but due to the bad economic situation Maldives is facing a tough time. There are about 75,000 expatriates working in Maldives and they are facing tough time sending money home. Western Union in Maldives is now open (Western Union Maldives was closed for more than 2 months due to shortage of US Dollars), but they are now accepting only US Dollars for sending money, same is the case with Xpress Money. How will the expatriates who are paid in local currency send money to their family? There should be a solution coming soon for this serious concern.

If you are an expatriate working in Maldives , make sure that you send your earnings to your home country bank as you as you receive your salary, don’t be lazy, there are chances that Rufiyaa may be devalued which can cause heavy loss for you.

Its a good news for the citizens of Maldives and people living in Maldives. The new Government has announced to remove customs duty of diesel, essential food and medicines.

This was one of the promise which was given to the citizens of Maldives by the newly elected President, Mohamed Nasheed. The customs duty on Medicines is 5% right now, but I don’t know if it is for all medical related products like medical consumables, equipments and spares. Medical equipments customs duty is currently 20% which will really have some effect on the prices and can help in reducing the prices of the services in the health care industry. We need to get more information about the term essential food, which is awaited. There are no taxes or VAT in Maldives right now. The only add on cost to the goods imported in Maldives is the customs duty and its the major revenue for the Government. Exempting duty for essential commodities will surely reduce the cost of living in Maldives. I feel this is step which was really awaited by the citizens of Maldives.

Now the question is “How long will it take for the prices to be effective in the Market?’”. The advantage of this exemption should be realised by passing on the price reduction of the goods to the consumer.

I get lots of comments and emails from people who have got a new job in Maldives and want to know the living cost and to make sure that the salary offered is competitive.

For the past few days this kind of emails are grown so high so I though of rather replying to every email, I can do a post which could be helpful to the People who are coming to Maldives for joining the Job.

Recently there was news that some friendly country of Maldives has offered to give 1000 school teachers to improve the educational system in Maldives, but I could not find which country. It could be India or Sri Lanka or any other SAARC country.

Hello Mr Kishore

I have got a job offer from Education Ministry of Maldives the salary offered me is MRF 4940 within which Professional allowance would be MRF 525 and Living allowance would be Mrf 1950 which includes Food and Rent Allowance.
Please let me know the cost of living per month for an individual, they have said that as per Indian currency the salary would come out to be 32000/- please let me know what would be the amount which I can save sent it across to India to my family.

This was an email sent by one of my blog reader. If you are offered a teachers job in Maldives, then this is the standard salary. You will get around Indian Rupees 30,000 as the US$ rate is good now. With this Mrf  6500, you need to manage your Food and accommodation. For a single bedroom independent accommodation in Male’, it costs around US$1000, which is double the salary so you will not be able to have an independent accommodation. You will need to share with about 3-4 people a very normal accommodation with common kitchen and other facilities for which you should be prepared.  Other expenses will be water bill and electricity bills (Very costly) – Food is also expensive, you will need to spend at least MRF 1000 for your food. Then comes telephone bill, you will be using a mobile phone to call your family or home.

To be very clear, you may have to spend, almost what you get as your fixed salary from your job or you will have to live a very stingy life.

You will have  a working hours of at least 6 hours a day and right now the Ministry has given permission for teachers to work privately like taking tuitions and you can earn from that, but only after your school hours. You will have to work the whole day to make some money to send home. Now there is a change in Government and there could be change in policies too, but I am not able to comment on that now.

If you have got a job in remote island, then the cost of living will be less there, but chances of earning from tuitions are very less. The life in some remote islands may be not acceptable for all, but if you are ready to take a chance, you can go for it. Do not have high expectations, but there are people who are working in Maldives as teachers for long time and saving money. I don’t know if you are getting the job directly or you need to go through any agent and pay a big amount as their fees. Paying to a agent and getting this job is not worth.

There are lots of expatriates working in Maldives and the working conditions in Maldives are different depending on the employers.

Final Note – There are many advantages of working in Maldives as well as you need to compromise on many things. If you are ready and prepared then you can go ahead. You will get an International experience from a country which is very near to India. Male’ is not a very high tech city, its just a very small Island, which is very densely populated and the cost of living is very high. Almost everything available here is imported, you will not get any fresh chicken or meet, all frozen products. Vegetables are imported, some are available in the Local Market, but very expensive. If you compare the price with the Indian price, you will never buy anything, almost four times the price.

Update : Read this before you decide to come to Maldives

Maldives is facing shortage of US$ these days. Most of the expatriate working in Maldives is paid in Maldivian Rufeeya and to send money home, now most of the banks and other money transfer facilities like Moneygram, Cash Xpress are asking the sender to pay in US dollars. Western Union has closed down and no longer providing the service

Earlier the sender could pay in Maldivian Rufeeya. Even to buy dollars from bank is something impossible these days and Bank of Maldives has restricted the sale of US$ to US$ 100 per day per person. Foreigners working in Maldives has different methods to send money home, but most of them are facing problems due to acute shortage of US dollars. The business people in Maldives are also facing big problem in transferring money to their suppliers and its very crucial in Maldives as Maldives imports almost everything. Hope this will be sorted out soon.