Average salary in the Maldives
What people take home per month and earn per year, by industry and against other countries
Wages in the Maldives
90% of gross pay stays in hand after income tax and employee contributions
Per employee, all industries
Take-home / mo
MVR 13,200
Gross / yr
MVR 176,000
Salaries in the Maldives by industry
Take-home pay by industry against the national average
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Key facts
Salaries in the Maldives in numbers
Pays 5.8× what its neighbour Sri Lanka pays
MVR 13,200 a month here against MVR 2,270 in Sri Lanka, the widest gap to any neighbouring country.
Energy & utilities is paid unusually poorly in the Maldives
Here it sits at -17% against the national average, where the same industry usually sits at +36%.
Agriculture & fishing is where the country places highest
It ranks #17 of 105 in the world, while Maldives ranks #74 of 169 on pay overall.
Professional & scientific pays the most
It averages MVR 21,500 a month, 63% above the national average of MVR 13,200.
Pays well above the middle in Asia
MVR 13,200 a month against MVR 7,040 for the middle country in Asia.
How salaries in the Maldives compare
Neighbours, region and the world on the same take-home figure
Industries against the world
Where this country pays an industry more, or less, than that industry is usually paid
Pays more than usual here
- Professional & scientific+63% here, usually +35%
- Agriculture & fishing-10% here, usually -38%
- Water & waste+14% here, usually -6%
Pays less than usual here
- Energy & utilities-17% here, usually +36%
- IT & communication+6% here, usually +47%
- Finance & insurance+18% here, usually +57%
“Usually” is what the same industry pays above or below the national average in a typical country
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2019 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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What you could earn in the Maldives
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Take-home in the Maldives
MVR 5,600/mo
vs MVR 18,500 in your country
Cost of living
MVR 4,430
vs MVR 12,400 in your country
Potential savings
MVR 1,160
more than in your country
Standard of living
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in the Maldives?
The average salary in the Maldives is MVR 14,700 a month before tax, or MVR 13,200 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's MVR 176,000 before tax and MVR 159,000 after.
What is the average salary in the Maldives in US dollars?
The average salary in the Maldives in US dollars is about $11,412 a year before tax, or $856 a month after tax.
What are the highest-paying jobs in the Maldives?
The highest-paying jobs in the Maldives are in professional, mining, and finance. Take-home pay in these industries averages around MVR 21,500 a month (about MVR 286,000 gross a year), roughly 63% above the national average.
What is a good salary in the Maldives?
A good salary in the Maldives is generally one above the national average — more than MVR 13,200 take-home a month, or MVR 176,000 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in the Maldives?
A typical person in the Maldives spends about MVR 8,630 a month, while the average take-home pay is MVR 13,200. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in the Maldives for the full picture.
What are the lowest-paying jobs in the Maldives?
Other is the lowest-paying industry in the Maldives. Pay there averages around MVR 9,110 a month take-home (about MVR 122,000 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 2.4 times more.
Is the Maldives a high-salary country?
Moderately. By average after-tax pay, The Maldives is ahead of 57% of countries worldwide and ranks 8th out of 30 countries in Asia.
Where to live?
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Living in the Maldives
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