Maldives
How much does a trip to Maldives cost? Daily budget and prices
Budget US$90–210 per person per day on a local-island guesthouse, US$325–680 at a 4★ resort, and US$1,000+ at a 5★ overwater resort. Resorts add 10% service, 17% TGST and the green tax, and a seaplane or domestic transfer can cost as much as several nights. Choose guesthouse if cost decides; choose resort only if you accept the transfer bill.
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GuideMaldives
Key facts
- Currency
- Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR); resorts bill in US dollars
- Guesthouse day
- US$90–210 per person, sharing
- Mid resort day
- US$325–680 per person, sharing
- Luxury day
- US$1,000–2,450 per person, sharing
- Resort bill add-ons
- 10% service charge + 17% TGST + green tax on room and food
- Green tax
- US$12 per night at resorts, US$6 at guesthouses
- Transfer
- Seaplane or domestic flight return can run to several hundred US dollars per person
- Cash
- Cards at hotels and larger shops; small cafés and ferries want rufiyaa cash
- ATMs
- Malé, Hulhumalé and a few large local islands; none at resorts
Costs by travel style
The single biggest cost decision in the Maldives is where you sleep. A local-island guesthouse and a resort overwater villa are the same country and a different budget: roughly US$90–210 a day versus US$1,000 or more, per person sharing.
Resort rates look simpler than they are. Published room and food prices usually exclude a 10% service charge, 17% goods and services tax (TGST) and the green tax per night, so a US$400 villa night can bill closer to US$500. Guesthouse bills on local islands are usually quoted with tax included, but confirm before booking.
Transfers are the second shock. A shared speedboat to a local island is modest; a seaplane or domestic-flight transfer to a resort can cost as much as several nights and is priced per person, return. Check the transfer cost before you compare room rates.
| Style | Bed | Food | Transport | Sights | Total per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guesthouse (local island) | US$35–75 | US$20–40 | US$10–30 | US$20–50 | US$90–210 |
| Mid resort (4★) | US$175–350 | US$60–120 | US$50–100 | US$20–60 | US$325–680 |
| Luxury (5★ overwater) | US$600–1,500 | US$200–400 | US$100–200 | US$50–150 | US$1,000–2,450 |
Per person per day, sharing a room, international flights excluded; transfers averaged over a week. 2026 estimate; resort bills add 10% service, 17% TGST and the green tax.
What things cost
On local islands, a double room with breakfast runs US$60–150, a café meal of fried rice or fish curry US$6–15, and a snorkelling trip US$30–60. At a resort, a dinner main course is US$40–90 before service and tax, and a beer US$10–18.
Excursions and spa treatments are where a resort bill grows fastest, and they are priced per person with no local alternative once you are on the island. On a local island you can usually book the same reef and manta trips through your guesthouse for less.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Guesthouse double room, local island | US$60–150 incl. breakfast |
| Local café meal (fried rice, fish curry) | US$6–15 |
| Resort dinner main course | US$40–90 + 10% service + 17% TGST |
| Beer at a resort | US$10–18 |
| Snorkelling trip from a local island | US$30–60 |
| Green tax per night | US$12 resort, US$6 guesthouse |
Paying and cash
The currency is the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR), but resorts bill in US dollars and US dollars are widely accepted. Local islands and Malé take cards at hotels and larger shops, while small cafés and public ferries generally want cash rufiyaa.
ATMs exist in Malé, Hulhumalé and a few large local islands, and there are none at resorts, so draw cash before your transfer. Carry small rufiyaa notes for ferries and cafés; change is not always available early in the morning.
How to cut the bill
Stay on a local island such as Ukulhas or Rasdhoo and take the public ferry or a shared speedboat instead of a resort seaplane. Eat at cafés rather than a resort buffet, and book snorkelling and diving through your guesthouse.
Travel in the low season, when guesthouse and resort rates drop, and keep the trip short if you are paying for a seaplane: the transfer is per person and does not get cheaper with a longer stay. Compare the total, transfer included, before you book.
- Choose a local island over a resort island
- Use public ferries or shared speedboats where they run
- Eat at local cafés, not resort restaurants
- Book excursions through the guesthouse
- Travel in the low season
- Check the transfer cost before comparing room rates
Notes
All figures are 2026 estimates per person sharing and exclude international flights. Resort bills add a 10% service charge, 17% TGST and the green tax, so confirm the total at booking.
Alcohol is available at resorts but not on local islands, which affects what you spend on drinks. Ferry schedules and transfer prices also change by season and operator, so re-check close to your dates.
Sources and checked
Figures are built from the Maldives country cost data on this site and cross-checked against official tourism and tax sources. Transfer prices vary by island and operator, so confirm them with your hotel or boat operator before you pay.
Questions people ask
How much money do you need per day in Maldives?
About US$90–210 per person per day on a local-island guesthouse, US$325–680 at a 4★ resort, and US$1,000–2,450 at a 5★ overwater resort, sharing a room and excluding international flights. Resort bills add 10% service, 17% TGST and the green tax.
Is Maldives expensive for tourists?
It can be either. Local-island guesthouses with café meals and shared boats are mid-range by world standards, while resort islands with seaplane transfers and overwater villas are among the most expensive holiday styles anywhere.
What do meals, hotels and transport cost in Maldives?
A guesthouse double with breakfast is US$60–150, a local café meal US$6–15, a resort main course US$40–90 before tax, and a snorkelling trip US$30–60. Seaplane or domestic transfers are priced per person and can cost several hundred US dollars return.
Do I need cash in the Maldives?
Carry some rufiyaa for small cafés and public ferries on local islands. Resorts bill in US dollars and take cards, and ATMs are only in Malé, Hulhumalé and a few large local islands.
How much should I budget for a week in the Maldives?
A week on a local island runs roughly US$630–1,470 per person for bed, food, local transport and excursions, before flights. A resort week is far higher once transfers, service charge, TGST and the green tax are added.
Is the Maldives cheaper in the low season?
Yes. Guesthouse and resort rates fall outside the peak months, and transfers and excursions are sometimes discounted too. Rain is more likely, so check the season before booking.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialVisit Maldives
- officialMaldives Inland Revenue Authority – TGST
- officialMaldives Ministry of Tourism
- secondaryWikivoyage – Maldives