Maldives on a budget can be done despite the dream of white sand beaches, clear blue water, and over-water bungalows painting a rather rosy and costly picture for a perfect trip to the Maldives.
When you start looking at booking a holiday, the reality of resort islands and budget hits hard, but fear not, for it doesn’t have to be wallet-breaking.
Believe it or not, I went to the Maldives on a budget as a student. But rather than staying in a luxury resort, I went to a local island to experience the real Maldivian culture. Not only did I enjoy the paradise, but I also didn’t have to pay an exorbitant amount at all; in fact, it was equal to staying for a week in any European city.
For most of us visiting the Maldives is a dream of a lifetime, and it doesn’t have to remain a dream.
- You may ask how many days I stayed in the Maldives? I stayed in the Maldives for 14 days for the amount that I would spend in a European city for a week! And 1/5th the amount that I would spend in a Maldivian resort!!
The two sides of the Maldives
Maldives is an island nation; Tourism is quite new to the Maldives; the first resort opened in 1973, and for thirty years, the only way to visit as a tourist was via expensive island retreats.
However, around 10 years ago, the government changed its regulations to allow guesthouses to open on the local islands. For the first time, tourists were allowed to stay with locals and gain an insight into Maldivian life.
Since then, guesthouses have been springing up on local islands on a weekly basis, offering budget travellers an affordable way to explore the country.
When my group and I landed in Male airport, we were the only ones not greeted by a travel agent, and the only ones not taking a seaplane to a resort, instead taking a speedboat like the locals to a local island.
The flip side, however, on the speed boat was that they had to stop the boat completely when I had to go use the washroom, which was quite embarrassing. 🙈
There are 2 sides of the Maldives-
- One is the commercialised, super costly romantic Resorts which seem unattainable for backpackers
- And the second hidden side of Maldive, are the local islands, which are equally stunning and don’t have to be reserved only for “Special Occasion / once in a Lifetime travel”.
Here’s everything you need to know about travelling to the Maldives on a budget.
How can you travel to the Maldives on a budget?
1. Travel during low season, or at least try to avoid high season:
Travel to the Maldives is cheapest during the southwest monsoon season, which begins in May and ends in October, coinciding with the Northern Hemisphere summer.
As it’s the rainiest time of year, guesthouse prices can drop to half their high-season levels, and while it can be overcast and wet at this time of year (particularly in June and October), you’ll never need to worry about being cold, thanks to the year-round warmth of the equatorial air and 31 degrees Celcius.
I highly recommend going to the Maldives during the low season with as many bikinis as you can pack in your suitcase, ready to hit the beach.
2. Skip Seaplanes and Use Public Transport:
- The first easy way of saving your bucks is not taking a Seaplane and choosing instead to take a ferry or speedboat. We were quite tired after our long flight and took the speed boat costing an average price of $35+ to $195 per adult. You can have a look Atoll Transfer speedboat prices or book speedboat transfers online.
- But it can be as cheap as $5 to $30 per person one way, if you travel by the Maldives ‘ public transport, i.e. using Ferries.
- Avoid the seaplanes if you’re travelling on a budget — these will usually cost around $500 return for a 20-minute journey.
Note: Booking a Public ferry can be made directly at the ferry counter in Male city (you can find a counter in Male airport), and a public ferry cannot be booked online.
3. Accommodation selection can make or break the bank: Stay in Guesthouses or Budget Hotels
Stay in a guesthouse rather than a resort. Finding a cheap Airbnb in the Maldives on an island you prefer ranges from £30 to £282 per night.
I stayed in Ukulhas island and in a hotel called SeaLaVie Inn, but you can find cheaper Airbnbs ranging from £31 per night for a private deluxe room to £282 for a Superior double room.
Note: All accommodation in the Maldives has air-conditioned rooms. It’s a must-have.
4. Activities within the island: Free and Low-Cost Activities
- While staying on the island, I found the beach was free to use for everyone and already had beach chairs and umbrellas. All you have to do is get beach towels, which are provided for free by your hotel/bnb. But yes, it is not like your normal European bikini beach vibe.
- We were provided with masks, snorkels, fins and other non-motorised water sports equipment too for free, so we had a hearty time in the clear water watching plenty of colourful fish, reef sharks, manta rays, and turtles.
- The SeaLaVie Inn that I stayed in provided me with a bike, too, to go around the island.
5. Food and Beverage: Eat Like a Local (and Save Big)
Most of the guesthouses provide a free breakfast spread that is mouth-watering and tasty. Typical Maldivian cuisine involves a breakfast of sweet and thick milk tea, canned tuna mixed with onion and lime juice, and delicious flatbread called roshi, which is similar to Indian roti.
Maldives is a muslim country, hence they do avoid pork and alcohol. Finding pork based food will be impossible, but if you really want to celebrate with a few cocktails, then some guesthouses do arrange that with prior notice.
The SeaLaVie Inn had an adjacent restaurant with a Thai cook. This trip made me fall in love with Thai cuisine and set my mind to go on a trip to Thailand, more on that later.
If your guesthouse doesn’t provide meals, restaurants on the island are very inexpensive. Coffee houses around the island serve coffee from early morning until late at night for around $2 USD. They also offer snacks, sandwiches, and noodles for $4-5 USD. You can’t complain about spending $5 a day on food.
We paid around $5-10, whether we ordered chicken fried rice, rice-fish curry, fish barbecue, chicken noodles or a gigantic fish barbecue.
Note: Being a strict Muslim/Islamic country, alcohol is not available in local islands other than the resorts.
6. Transfer to other islands: Travel Between Islands by Ferry
Travel like a local and take the ferry. This was suggested to me by the friendly locals to save money, so you know it is foolproof.
MTCC ferries, the state-run public transport system, is a superb, not particularly rapid way to get around, with tickets costing almost nothing ( as cheap as $5 per trip per person). On an often crowded but very sociable dhoni (the multipurpose Maldivian sailing vessel), you’ll have plenty of time to sun yourself on the roof while looking out for dolphins as the boat winds its way slowly to your island.
At only a few dollars per ride, you’ll save a fortune compared to the expensive speedboat or seaplane transfers most resorts require.
7. Activities outside the island: Affordable Excursions and Diving
- Most guesthouses arrange fishing trips ($50 per person) or day trips to the resorts ($50 per person plus a $30 per person entrance fee). You can also take trips to sandbanks ($25 per person) and go island hopping around the atoll ($50 per person).
- Diving in the Maldives can be done on a budget, too; the best is to arrange it via the guesthouse or your local island dive shop. You’ll be looking at paying around $100 for two dives. The cheapest option for diving in the Maldives, however, is doing a live-aboard trip.
- I did my PADI open water certification in Ukulhas, which cost me $450 for the whole course, certification and 8 dives. Since they didn’t have a swimming pool, our training was in the sea, which gave us plenty of underwater time.
Budget Breakdown for the Maldives
- Guesthouse: $30–$200 per night
- Ferry: $5–$10
- Meals: $5–$10
- Diving: $50–$100
Things to Know Before You Go
- The Maldives is a Muslim country—modest dress is required on local islands
- Bikinis are only allowed on designated beaches
- Alcohol is prohibited outside resorts
- Locals are friendly, welcoming, and curious about tourists
- Boats and ferries do visit the private island
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Final Review
Getting down on a local island for the first time from your ferry or speed boat may be unnerving. At least it was for me, for the first time, I saw Maldivian men and women staring at us with curiosity as we walked down the ferry and got to our hotel.
It was a sea of women in black-clad burkas staring at you, which made me feel unwelcome and weird to be the only tourists on the island. However, we found 3 other tourist couples who had taken the off-beaten path. And within a day, we found the locals to be quite friendly, they love to talk and love Indian Bollywood movies.
It is a strict Muslim/Islamic country, hence this might not be the choice for you if you love your alcohol and can’t do a trip without it. Alcohol and any pork-based dish are not allowed in the local islands.
There is a strict dress code for both men and women, and that is to cover your shoulders and thighs. Avoid wearing a bikini unless you are on the beach.
The above were just minor points for me to adhere to, and I had one of the loveliest times in the Maldives that I would not trade for anything.
There is so little information out there on Independent travel in the Maldives. Budget tourism in the Maldives is just beginning, and now is a great time to go, as there are still not many foreigners outside the resorts (I was the only foreigner on my ferry) and the local islands are not on many budget travellers’ radars.
Go have an amazing trip, no matter what budget you go with, it is Paradise on Earth.
FAQs: Travelling to the Maldives on a Budget
Is the Maldives expensive for budget travellers?
Not necessarily. By staying on local islands, using ferries, and eating locally, you can travel affordably.
What is the cheapest way to travel to the Maldives?
Book flights early, travel in the low season, and use public ferries instead of seaplanes.
How much does a budget trip to the Maldives cost?
You can expect to spend around $50–$100 per day, depending on your choices.
Can you stay in the Maldives without a resort?
Yes, local islands offer guesthouses and budget hotels at a fraction of resort prices.
Is alcohol allowed in the Maldives?
Alcohol is only available at resorts, not on local islands.
What is the best budget island in the Maldives?
Ukulhas, Maafushi, and Thulusdhoo are popular budget-friendly options.
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