Moving to Maldives from Australia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Maldives — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Australia to Maldives, and you’d need to navigate life in Maldivian.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Australia to Maldives, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
84 ↑ 8% vs 2015

people born in Australia live in Maldives · UN DESA

Who's moving to Maldives?

Top countries of origin for Maldives's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Australia and Maldives stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AU
0.8
MV
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AU
4.5
MV
1.3

Maldives performs significantly better than Australia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AU
$7,691
MV
$2,288
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AU
39.8
MV
21.6

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maldives leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AU
10.0
MV
29.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AU
14.1t
MV
3.6t

Australia generally does better on environment, though Maldives leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AU
35.1
MV
17.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AU
4.6%
MV
15.7%

Australia performs better than Maldives across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AU
3.7%
MV
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AU
$59,500
MV
$22,400

Australia performs better than Maldives across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AU
83.1 yrs
MV
76.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AU
3.0
MV
25.7

Australia performs better than Maldives across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Maldives. To live, work, or study long-term in Maldives, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Maldives's immigration authority.

Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Maldives

Visa on Arrival
Australia passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Maldives.
Maldives passport

Maldives passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Required
Maldives passport holders need a visa to enter Australia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Maldives?

With 17.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Maldives can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Maldives.

Is Maldives safe for expats?

Maldives performs significantly better than Australia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Maldives is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.

How is healthcare in Maldives compared to Australia?

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maldives leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 21.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Maldives, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Maldives scores 61 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).

What language do they speak in Maldives?

The official language in Maldives is Maldivian. In Australia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

AU MV
Population 26,141,369 390,164
Currency Australian Dollar (A$) Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR)
Languages English Maldivian
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +61 +960
Time zones 8 1
Emergency number 000