How Much Does a Trip to the Maldives Actually Cost?
If you’re dreaming of the sparkling blue waters and pristine beaches for your next vacation, (or honeymoon!), the Maldives is an incredible choice. The Maldives is famous for sun, sand, and an abundance of undersea wildlife. You’ll spend your days sipping frozen cocktails in your private infinity pool, stopping only to dive into the water right outside your room, swimming alongside vibrant, colorful fish, sea turtles, and (friendly) stingrays!
A trip to the Maldives is a bucket list trip that absolutely lives up to the hype in every way. But how much does a vacation in the Maldives actually cost? I’ve broken down all of the costs you can expect for a trip to the Maldives to get your vacation planning started!
See these other blog posts:
The Ultimate Maldives Travel Guide
The Ultimate Maldives Honeymoon Guide
What to Pack for a Trip to the Maldives
Table of Contents
How much do hotels cost in the Maldives?
Average Hotel Costs in the Maldives
You can expect to spend anywhere from $5000 – $30,000 on just your room rate alone for a one-week stay in the Maldives.
The cost of a hotel in the Maldives will depend on caliber of resort, the level of room (is a beach villa or an overwater bungalow more your style?) and the season you’re traveling in (the dry season is the high season in the Maldives, and it runs from November-March) You’ll find much less expensive rates in the off season (like half off!!)
JETSET TIP: You can save a ton on these hotels by using your travel credit card points
Luxury hotels in the Maldives:
The cost of luxury resorts in the Maldives is very expensive. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive destinations in the world for most people (especially coming from the US, which is about as far as you can get!), but it’s important to remember that it is expensive for good reason. The Maldives is paradise on earth!
Six Senses Laamu- Rates around $1000-1500 per night
Barefoot, eco-luxury, Six Senses Laamu is a great option for luxury in the Maldives. You’ll have countless activities to choose from at this stunning and wild paradise on earth. The food is amazing, and there are half board and full board options to choose from. Beautifully designed, air-conditioned teak villas feature an outdoor bathroom with a glass bathtub (!!!). Six Senses Laamu is the only resort in the Laamu Atoll, in the south of Maldives. It is located on Olhuveli Island which is a 35 minute inter-island domestic flight away from Male International Airport to Kadhdhoo, followed by a short speedboat ride.
St. Regis Maldives – Rates around 1000-2500 per night
This idyllic private island resort is set on more than 22-acres, and has 77 beautiful villas scattered through the island – each with their own private pool and private entrance for an unparalleled degree of seclusion and privacy. The premium two- and three-bedroom villas – including the famed John Jacob Astor Estate, the largest overwater villa in the Maldives – are perfect for families and groups looking for a perfect escape.
Check rates for your dates here
Gili Lankanfushi
You’ll want to spend all day laying out on your hammock over the water at Gili Lankanfushi , and all night sleeping under the stars (your butler – called your “Friday” can set it up for you!). Some of the villas – called the “cruisers” give you an even more unique experience as they are only accessible by boat (you can boat yourself during the day or there is always one on call for you!). And, if you want the best of the best, or have a big family, you can look into the biggest overwater bungalow in the Maldives, called “The Private Reserve”, which is complete with four bedrooms, its own infinity pool, its own private ISLAND, and a slide into the ocean.
Mid-range hotels in the Maldives:
W Maldives – Rates around $600-1000 per night
Catch some rays on W Maldives’s private white sand beach or spend the day relaxing at the full-service spa. Then enjoy a meal at one of the resort’s delicious restaurants. All 77 rooms boast private plunge pools and offer free WiFi and furnished patios.
Hurawalhi Island Resort – Rates around $800-1000 per night
One of the most highly recommended luxury resorts in the Maldives is Hurawalhi, where room rates run from about 600-1000 per night. With exceptional reviews,
All-inclusive room rates in the Maldives at Hurawalhi Island Resort are available. These rates are higher because they include onsite food and beverages in the room rate (some restrictions may apply).
Budget hotels in the Maldives:
Fihalhohi Resort – Rates around $200 per night
Perfectly located surrounded by pristine, crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean. This enchanting paradise of beauty and serenity, perfectly providing an ambiance of tranquility and comfort. It’s well known for being a great resort and best value in the Maldives, and gets great reviews.
How Much do Food & Drinks Cost in the Maldives?
You can expect to spend about 250 per person per day in the Maldives, whether you are on a full-board meal plan or if you are paying a la carte. Most resorts in the Maldives offer a half-board or full-board meal option. At a resort like Six Senses, full board includes breakfast, lunch and dinner and costs $222 per adult and $111 per child, and the half board meal plan includes just breakfast and dinner, and is $148 per adult, $74 per child.
How much does alcohol cost in the Maldives?
On top of these food costs, you’ll want to budget some for alcohol (not included), which can be very expensive in the Maldives. Cocktails are around $25 each, and wine is marked up at least 4-5X. Since you’re on a private island, there is no option to go to a nearby town or store, nor are you able to bring any alcohol into the country of the Maldives, it’s illegal (unlike, say, in Bora Bora, where I packed 6 bottles of wine – a great tip / way to save some money on a trip to Bora Bora)
Should you do a full-board or all-inclusive meal plan in the Maldives?
Some resorts (like Kandolhu) include alcohol in their cost, which is a great option for an all-inclusive in the Maldives! If your resort’s full-board option doesn’t include alcohol, I would say it depends how much you plan on eating, and how much more relaxed you’ll be if you’ve already pre-paid and can order everything you’d like! There are good ways to save money on a trip to the Maldives if you are paying for meals a la carte (ordering room service one night, for example, or doing some meals more casual than others), and you wouldn’t have that ability if you pay the full-board. So it is totally up to you. I also have found half-board is more than enough for me and my husband, since I usually go big at the breakfast buffet and then skip lunch on vacation.
When planning a trip to the Maldives, keep in mind that transportation costs are added onto your room rate. The cost of transportation in the Maldives can get super pricey if your resort has a seaplane or domestic transfer to get to it. They will charge you for this on top of the cost of your room, and it’s as much as $800 per person just to get to your resort!
If you’re looking to avoid seaplane extra costs, check out Gili Lankanfushi, which only charges for the speedboat to get to the resort.
How much should you tip in the Maldives?
We tipped our butler about $20-25 a day, all paid in USD cash at the end of the stay, and about $5-10 per day for housekeeping.
How much do activities cost in the Maldives?
The costs of activities in the Maldives depends on what you decide to do on your vacation, and which hotel you choose! Don’t worry about being bored in the Maldives – there are always plenty of activities to choose from in the Maldives, from surfing, jetskiing, and snorkeling trips and sunset cruises, to wine tasting dinners and private island experiences on sand bars.
To get an idea of actual costs, for a sandbar day at the Six Senses Maldives, for example, it is $200 per couple for 3 hours, or $600 for a lunch and beach picnic. At the St. Regis, however, the sand bank picnic will set you back $1600 per couple. I think it’s good to budget at least $800 for activities so you can feel like you can do some fun things on your trip, like a couple’s massage with these views!!
When is the best time to visit the Maldives?
The Maldives is famous for being “80/80/80” all year, meaning it’s generally 80 degrees, 80% humidity, and 80 degree ocean water the whole year. Dry season is November-May, but this is also peak season for tourists, meaning not only are the resorts usually at their max capacity, but the prices are twice as high than the rest of the year. So if you’re looking to travel to Maldives on a budget, low season might be your best bet.
And, since The Maldives are so popular during the high season, make sure you are booking well in advance if you’re traveling then. I think a lot of people are scared away from the Maldives’ “wet” season, but I traveled to the Maldives in September, and, after experiencing 10 straight days of sunshine, and 2 partly cloudy days with the occasional rain squall blowing through, and talking to lots of people working at the resorts about the different seasons, it seems to me like no matter what time of year you visit the Maldives, you can get incredible weather, or a ton of rain, it’s tropical! And you can’t predict it.
How do you get around the Maldives?
If you’re wondering about the price of plane tickets from the USA to the Maldives, it depends on the time of year but I’ve found them to be around $1500 per person or so.
It depends where you’re coming from, as it’s much easier to get to the Maldives from Europe, Asia and the UAE than it is from the United States. But, even if you’re coming from far away, if you have credit card points or can swing it, The Maldives is definitely worth the long flight! Just be aware of the jet lag both going there and coming home, and budget for a few extra days of your trip (you don’t want to get all the way there, spend the first few days jet-lagged, then have to turn right back around)
Once you land in Malé International Airport (MLE), you will hop on board a ferry, seaplane or speedboat to get to your accommodation, which is likely on its own private island.
More Useful Tips for the Maldives
Jetset Christina Maldives Travel Guide
St. Regis vs. Six Senses Maldives
