I have been living in Maldives for the past 5 years. Talking about the cost of living I would first tell you about the cost of living for a Expatriate who come here for work and holds a valid Work permit.
Cost of living for a Expatriate holding a work permit or a visa
Usually the employer provided the foreign employee with accommodation and food or allowance for the same and the employee has to arrange for it. Institutions like IGMH provide excellent accommodation for the specialist doctors and they have their own facilities too. If you get a job in a resort, then you do not need to worry about the accommodation or the food part. Resorts like Kanuhura, W Maldives, Hilton, One and only Reethirah, Four Seasons, Landaa Giraavaru, etc provide excellent facilities to their staff. They are paid fixed salary plus service charges. Service charges for resorts like W Maldives, Four seasons are very high.
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General Cost of living
Accommodation – Accommodation is the most expensive part here. For a single bed room fully furnished accommodation you will need to pay around US$ 700. Staying with your family with only one person working will be expensive as you will be need to go for a better accommodation.
Food – Food is expensive as almost everything is imported here. Fish is affordable if you go to the local market or if you are living in an Island, you can get fresh fish and vegetables at very affordable price. If you are living in Male’, the cost of food is high but if you cook yourself, then you can Manage with less than US$70 per month. There are some Indian and Sri Lankan hotels who provide monthly packages for about US$ 80 per person which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Phone Calls – There are two telecom service providers in Maldives, Dhiraagu and Wataniya. Now the local and international calls are very much affordable, but there are other ways also to make cheep International phone calls.
Others – These are the basic things which you will be forced to spend when you live in Maldives. Other things like cosmetics, dresses, or any luxurious items are also costly, but you can get some products which are of very high quality and popular brands. I would not like to associate these things with the cost of living in Maldives.
If you are working for a Good Reputed company, then you should not have problem with the basic needs like food and accommodation. Cost of living is high when you compare with India or Sri Lanka, but the currency value is much higher when you compare with India or Sri Lanka. I find lots of Foreigners searching for job vacancies in Maldives and many coming and working here from more than 50 countries around the world.
Now a days there are lots of Bangladeshi’s coming to Maldives to work, mostly for the construction projects
If you have any more questions or comments, please post it, I will try my best to answer it.
This post was written by:
Kishore Asokan.About Kishore - I have been working on different online projects for some time now. Making money online is my biggest challenge and to some extend I have succeeded. Visit Kishore Asokan's website to find out more.. Read other articles writtern by Asokan Kishore
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I want to working in relate store job.
Hi Kishore,
What is the approximate salary structure in Maldives. I mean if you are working say in the Head position.. Like Creative Head, what would be the approximate salary structure.
@Dinesh, the salary depends on factor like the industry you work, the company, your experience
Hi Kishore,
I have sent you an e-mail.
Regards,
Maria
I would like to know the salary of an IT Manager in Maldives. Or for a System Analyst ?
Thanks,
Hammad
hi! Kishore!
I am offered a teacher job with more that Rs.30,000 salary. That means around 10,000 rufiyaas I guess. Will that be sufficient for me and my father to live there comfortably (without any luxuries)? What about internet facilities? To what extent is broadband connection affordable? We are vegetarians. Do we get all kinds of vegetables?
Regards,
Aparna.
-Aparana, it depends on the accomodation cost. If you are looking for an independent accomodation, it will cost you half your salary. Internet, broadband is available, vegetables are available, that should not be a problem if you are cooking at home
Kishore,
I am from India, got a job opportunity with a resort in maldives. Accomodation and food will be provided by them alongwith a salary of 1500USD. Do u think its enuf? Also, need to know about the Taxation laws there.
-Raghav : Its a good package. If you are going to work in a resort, then you will not have any other major expense. There is no income tax now. Wish you all the best
Thank you so much for the prompt reply Kishore!
Take Care
hi kishore
DEAR I am a ent surgeon in india , having an offer in maldieves
kindly let me know in what type of hospital i have to work , will be geting 2300$ ,how much i can save , they will be providing accommodation,language problem ect
Hi there, I’m applying for English teaching jobs in the Maldives. Do you know what a typical salary is for an ESL teacher and what is normally included with a contract for someone with a BA and TEFL certification? Most jobs post that info. but the two I’ve applied for in the Maldives have not included this information. Thank you.
-Dr Manish-I guess you have got a Job at IGMH Hospital, US$ 2300 is the standard salary,there should not be language problem as you will be assisted by clinical assistants, saving part, depends, whether you are with your family or alone
-Lauren – Usually for teachers its around US$ 500, you can earn good if you take tutions and its allowed right now
DATS KEEPS GREAT….SO U HAS LOTS OF EXPERIENCE IN MALIDIVES…I THK U KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT MALDIVES AND THEIR CULTURE….HOW S LIFE THERE IN MALDIVES..IS IT OK …HOWS THE PEOPLE AROUND THERE AND THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE INDIANS… I CAME TO HEARD THAT ITS NOT FINE….I WANT UR ADVICE ON THIS COMMENT….
It depends on the place you work, as far as I am concerned, I am very happy, but some places, I am afraid.
The salary you guys are quoting – is this per week/month? thx, Stephie
UPDATE
You should be aware that the cost of living has gone up very high these days.
Hi, Mr.Kishore, I got selected as a teacher by the dept of Education of Maldives. They will pay me 4940MRF+525MRF+1950MRF+1000MRF, Total About 8415 MRF. Pls let me know whether I can make a saving out of it and sent it back to my hometown, Mumbai, Pls its urgent, i hav 2 reply in 2-3 days,thanks a lot.
Yes, thats a good offer and the advantage of working as a teacher is that you can make money by giving private tutions which is allowed by the ministry
Dear Kishore,
I have been offered the job of Teacher in ministry of education maldives.
the package offered to me is 4940MRF (US$.085) as mentioned in my appointment letter.
Please let me know what woould be the cost of living there food and accomodation, and what savings can i do and send across to my family in india.
please reply and help me
thanks
bhumica
Bhumica – Thats the standard salary offered in Maldives for teachers. You can earn more by taking private tutions. The cost of living is very high here, but I am sure you can manage to do some savings
Dear Mr.Kishore
Please reply to my querry mentioned earlier.
Also if u can give me your complete telephone or cell number so that i can call u please help me at the earliest
bhumica
You can call me on +9607772212
thanks a tons for your reply…….can i just know that how much will be the cost of accomodation and food total. Do u have online chat ID (yahoo or any other) so that I cna add u up sir.
Thanks
Bhumica
Dear Kishore,
I was pleased to see a website of this nature and your prompt replies. I am a qualified accountant from Sri Lanka and has been offered a job by an acccountancy firm in Male. I am planning to bring my family (wife and two children). I am in the process of negotiating my salary. How much do u think will it cost for a 2-bedroom apartment, food, utilities and children’s education?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Dharen
Dharen
For a two bedroom apparment, between US$ 1200-1500, Food for four of you atleast US500, Schooling and others another US$ 500. The cost of living in Male’ is very high, so you should negotiate for a good salary accordingly.
Thank your very much Kishore.
Could you tell me something about common mode of transport/ taxifare/KM and also how much its costs per child’s eduction in Maldives?
Dharen
Dharen- Male’ is a very small island, you can walk to any place in 15-20 minutes time. The common mode of public transport is Taxi, which is MRF 20 to any destination. Education, roughly MRF 250 per month, not sure.
hi kishore…
i am a pediatrician being offered a job in a pvt setup with a pay of around 1550 $usd. ,30% consultation fees, for patient counts exceeding to 25/day
50% consultation fee for patient counts exceeding to 35/day
Accommodation: one-room a/c apartment medium furnished.
should i go for it….
Thats a good offer, why don’t you take it
I have been offered a job at an Atoll hospital and the pay is 2300 U.S dollar with accomadation but no mention is made of food and other allowances.Can you tell me what this Atoll Hospital would be situated and how much I would be able to save.
Dr – Atoll Hostitals will be far away from the capital of Maldives, Male’, Usually there will be food and island allowance, but you need to confirm with them
Hello,
I’m a Brit and am considering moving to the Maldives for a short period. I’ll be working self-employed and earning around 1500USD/month. I don’t need to be near Male and would need accommodation comprising of just 1 bedroom. Could I do this on this budget? Any tips for looking for housing on a more remote island?
Thanks!
Hi Brit, cost of accomodation depends, if you are able to find accomdation at nearby islands like hulhumale’ or vilingly, you can get a good accomodation at less rent, but for most of your needs, you may have to come to Male’.
Dear
pl tell me cost indian veg gfor three eople and schooling
Very useful infos.
Helped me to get an idea about job, accomodation, food etc..
Thanks Kishore.
Hi,
Reading this, please allow me to ask some questions. Before that, I am Fahri from Indonesia. I am having opportunity to work in Male.
Could You tell me :
1. Is there any apartment close to the Wataniya Telecom..?
2. If any, tell me please about the cost.
3. Because I am a moslem, tell me also about situation there, food and price related to religion of people.
4. What about transportation to Colombo…?
Regarding accommodation in Maldives, its a difficult task and the rent is also very high in Male’
Hi,
I have been offered a job at Paradise Island-maldives. USD$500 not include service charge. They will provide accomodation,food on duty only.
What do u think?
How about:
1. Internet acces n cell phone provider,make international phone call.
2. Dentist,i need to do check up every 3 weeks (wearing braces)
3. Transportation to male?is it expensive?
4. Safety
5. How far by plane to New Delhi n Dubai?
Tatyana – Its a standard offer, Internet n Cell phone no problem, bit costly but affordable. Dentist, yes you can consult one in Male’, even my clinic has an orthodontist visiting from India and also a resident dentist available every working day. Transportation from Male’, you have to depend on the staff ferry. Safety – yes, Plane to New Delhi – No direct flights, but Dubai I guess its there.
Hi Kishore,
My fiance & I are both South Africans wh are applying for work at the resorts in Maldives. We have both worked in Dubai & London.
If we are blessed in getting a job there,because it’s a muslim country and we are not yet married are there any laws that we may not live togther? Dubai has this law and follows Sharia Law? Is it the same in Maldives?
Regards,
Nikki
Nikki – Here also its the same, but if you are going to work in a resort in Maldives, that should not be a problem. You can talk to the management to give accommodation together. All the best
Thanks so much for the speedy response!
Much appreciated!
Nikki
Dear Kishore, really appreciate your promotion and excellent informaion.
I am a teacher in Geography and worked in other countries. Now I am in India, can I go and attend interview directly with MOE ? or there any other posibilities.
Thanks
ajju
Ajju – There are some changes happening in all the Government departments are the new Government has taken charge. I am not sure if they do direct recruitment or if there are vacancies, but if you are ready to take a chance you can come and try. I know many people who had come directly and got the job
hi ….its really a appreciable which you are doin frnd…gr8….i am teacher working in kerala…rite now i got an offer for teachin in maldives…i wud like to know abt the salary they offered and abt the cost of living….and also i want to know the attitude of the locals and students towards the teachers….
awaiting your reply
vijay
Vijay – I don’t know about the recent salary, I heard that they have increased the salary of teachers now. The cost of accommodation depends on the island you are living. If its Male’, the accommodation cost is very high, but in Islands its less. I think they do respect teachers, you should not have any problem.
Basically where are you in Kerala, I am also from Kerala
hi kishore
you have a gr8 web site going here .seems to be very help full.
i have been offered a job paying around usd2800.iam from india.i have a wife and a 6 months old boy.i believe the cost of living there is very high . i have the three queries for you .
1. how is the place overall to live with family. i mean is it possible to enjoy family life there
2. my wife is an architect with 5 years experience .is there any scope of her being able to find a job there.
3. hows the health care system especially for small childrens and is it expensive too.
thanks a ton for reading my letter .and
i hope you can find some time from your schedule to answer me .
thankyou very much
hardeep singh
Hi Hardeep
1. Has your employer offered you an accommodation apart from the salary? Will you be located in Male’ the capital of Maldives or some island. I think you should be happy with your family. There are no much entertainment facilities like pub or disco, but you can go to a resort.
2. There are some construction companies here, so there are chances for a job for an architect.
3. Healthcare is costly, there are two Major hospitals here, One private and the other is IGMH.
dear kishore
thanks a lot for your answers. i really appreciate it .i will ask the company more about these issues on monday .thanks again .
hi kishore..nice to hear frm u…am from thrissur…nd wr u in kerala..nd wat r udoin..
Vijay, I am from Kayamkulam work here for the past 7 years in a Pvt Ltd company as the CE
Hi,
how is prostitution activities in Maldives?
why no reply to my question still?
Zainal, nothing of this sort reported recently but there were reported cases earlier.
Hi, your information for expat’s life in Maldive is very useful.
I got some questions to ask you :
- Do you know Shades of Maldives Resort ? Is it a good reputation one ?
- What is minimum salary range for those who works in Resorts ?
- Maldives is a safe country for women professional expatriates ? How about the security in this country ? Is there lots of crime ?
Thanks for your reply
Samantha
Hi Samantha
- Shades of Maldives is an inbound travel agency based in Male city specialized in resort bookings.It’s not a resort.
- With regard to salary scales in resorts, it depends on the position but minimum will be around $250/- + service charge…however it can still vary depdning on the resort category as well.
- You will find so many women expats working in resorts and in Male’ city in the tourism sector without any hindrances. No need to fear if you are employed in a secured way and the employer is a trusted body.
Good luck…
Hi
I am Dr Vivek from Mumbai. I am a Palliative Care physician and has two year experience in Tata Memorial Hospital in India. I am doing Post graduation certificate in Health from Australia in Palliative Care.
I want to work in Maldives. Can you guide me on how the recruitment process is and about the scope and salary.
Thanks
Dr. Vivek
hi kishore, i’m really impressed the way u givin quick answer… hats off to u buddy…and r u a civil engineer. now i m goin to complete my BE and offered a job in maldives . i am a civil engineer too. i got a job offer and paying me around 600-800us$. with acoomodation and food. is iot worth coming there and working for a construction industry and will i be able to save money for my futur.. and one more thing wat would be the cost for internet and phone usages
hi kishore
i’m a doctor and have been offered a job in an island of maldives. can you tell me how safe is it for a girl to stay alone there? i’m planning to stay there for a year. also do let me know about the attitude of people there.
Maldives is considered to be safe but these days we find some unfortunate incidents happening, but nothing much to worry. The attitude of locals are good as far as I am concerned. There are lots of single lady Doctors working here, so there is nothing wrong in going ahead, but you need to rethink about an island life where you may not all the facilities
Hi,
I just got a job a marketing executive at Fantasy Pvt Ltd. It is the food importer company in Maldives.
I got an offer at USD800/m + USD100 food allowance/m + accomodation.
Is this a fair deal?
Please advise. Thank you.
*POM*
Hi Kishore,
could you pls answer me via email?
i will be able to check my email from mobile but cannot log in this page from the mobile. thank you very much for your help.
*POM*
Dear kishore, I am a keralite completed my final semester mba Information Technology and waiting for result.I am looking for a job in Maldives.Basically I was doing company secratary cum computor operator job in UAE for 4 years but planning to be there.What type of the job I can apply for? I wish to be a teacher in business studies can I apply for the same?.How much salary I can expect.which are the ministry site for that?Bed is necessary for the same?Kindly help me.
Thanking you
Rajesh
Rajesh – You are bit late now, there was teachers recruitment going on recently. You can try with the Education Ministry of Maldives
iam from palakkad, here there is an interview on 17 th jun for teacher(computer science). they are offering me Rs.43,000 .Is it true ? What shall i know more about it ?
pls reply
Sameer, yes the salary is correct, you will be paid in local currency. The recruitment will be done by agents in India / MOE. Try to find out where in Maldives will your placement be. It could be in some remote island
hi m dr.jaya from india.how can i get a job in maldives to work as a medical officer.thank you
Dear Sir,
I am joining in the insurance co at maldives. my package is 1500 $ + 2000 rufia for food + 500 rufia for phones + accomodation at Male… how is it ? i want my wife’s work permit also…. if she comes with me and later on we find a job for her… is it possible ? how to get permit?
Thats a good package. Your wife can get a work permit if she gets a job or your company should provide a Dependant visa
m dr.jaya applied for doctor job through net .he asked me to send my sccaned documents through email.can i believe him and send my documents??he said that he will get me workpermit within 10 days.his name is sunir oden .his mail adress is sunir.oden@gmail.com
sir please reply me…………..thanks in advance
Hi, Thanks for reply… What is the joining period in Maldives ( time taken to receive work permit/permission from health ministry) Company have told me that I am appointed from 1st of may, but still not received further order as the work permit is in process…