Moving to Maldives from Oman

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Oman to Maldives — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Oman to Maldives, you would find that Maldives is 23.0% more expensive than Oman overall. A OMR29,000 salary in Oman would need to be roughly MVR1,430,000 in Maldives to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Maldivian. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Is Maldives cheaper than Oman?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 6.6% more

Groceries

pay 4.3% more

Transportation

pay 16.6% more

Housing

pay 79.7% more

Childcare

pay 45.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 9.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 OMR = 40.18 MVR (November 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Maldives?

What does your salary buy?

OMR29,000 → MVR1,430,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Maldives

Calculate with your salary →

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Oman to Maldives.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

OM
0.1
MV
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

OM
11.0
MV
1.3

Oman generally does better on safety, though Maldives leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

OM
$1,444
MV
$2,288
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

OM
19.9
MV
22.4

Oman generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maldives leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

OM
104.0
MV
29.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

OM
18.6t
MV
3.6t

Maldives performs significantly better than Oman across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

OM
11.1
MV
19.6
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

OM
116.7%
MV
15.7%

Maldives generally does better on infrastructure, though Oman leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

OM
3.2%
MV
4.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

OM
$19,947
MV
$14,615

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

OM
80.2 yrs
MV
81.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

OM
8.3
MV
4.7

Maldives performs significantly better than Oman across all family life metrics.

Can you move from Oman to Maldives?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Oman 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.

Oman passport

Oman passport holder visiting Maldives

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

Maldives passport holder visiting Oman

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Maldives passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Oman.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Maldives than Oman?

No — Maldives is on average about 23% more expensive than Oman. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Maldives?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MVR357,500 in Maldives on a OMR29,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Maldives?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Maldives has 19.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Maldives safe for expats?

Oman generally does better on safety, though Maldives leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Maldives is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Oman.

How is healthcare in Maldives compared to Oman?

Oman generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maldives leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 22.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Maldives, compared to 19.9 in Oman. Maldives scores 61 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Oman: 70).

What language do they speak in Maldives?

The official language in Maldives is Maldivian. In Oman, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

OM MV
Population 5,494,691 529,676
Currency Omani Rial (OMR) Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR)
Languages Arabic Maldivian
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +968 +960
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 9999 —