Maldives

Southern Asia

Asia

A low-tax Asian country with residence by investment, but a weaker passport, a long 12-year naturalisation wait and no dual citizenship.

Overall score

Moderate · 91% data coverage

Language

Dhivehi

Currency

MVR

Citizenship

12 years

Personal tax

Progressive, up to 15%

Cost of living

$1,500 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

62Residence12%

23Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

63Salary and work12%

73Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

76Taxes7%

51Business8%

43Investment5%

Daily life

25%

73Quality of life18%

63Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

41Freedom6%

45Rule of law7%

Pros

Residence by investment

Cons

A weaker passport
A long 12-year naturalisation wait
No dual citizenship

Best for

Low-tax relocatorsInvestors

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Moderate

Migrant stock14.2% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality-0.24 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Low

Years required	12 years
Dual allowed	No
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 12 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Moderate

96 / 198

Mobility

#54

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free58
On arrival35
eTA3
Visa required102

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Moderate

Output per worker$47,350 PPP (2024)

Unemployment4.5% (2025)

Participation63.5% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees

Overall$650 · $987 PPP (2019)

Tech (IT & comms)$763 · $1,158 PPP (2019)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$25,600 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$11,237 PPP (2024)

Price level62 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality29.3 Gini (2019)

Inflation4.0% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Good

Price level62 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$1,500 / mo (single)
Cities	Malé, Addu City

Economy

Economic strength

Good

Output & income

GDP$7.7B (2025)

GDP / person$14,615 (2025)

GNI / person$25,600 PPP (2025)

GDP growth3.5% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation4.0% / yr (2025)

Unemployment4.5% (2025)

Output per worker$47,350 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture4.6% of GDP (2025)

Industry9.3% of GDP (2025)

Services69.9% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

TourismFishingShippingConstruction

Top exports

Fish & seafoodTourism services

Type	Upper-middle-income, tourism-driven
Key sectors	Luxury resort tourism, Fisheries
Summary	An island economy overwhelmingly dependent on high-end resort tourism, supported by fisheries.
Currency	Maldivian rufiyaa (US dollars widely used)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Good

Personal	Progressive, up to 15%
Corporate	Generally 15%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Good

Personal	Progressive, up to 15%
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Moderate

Corporate	Generally 15%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality-0.24 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness-0.22 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Limited

Private credit36% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Moderate

Business

Moderate

Investment

Limited

Tax friendliness

Good

Cost of living

Good

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Good

Personal safety

Homicide rate0.6 per 100,000 (2019)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.34 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability-0.05 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Good

Outcomes

Life expectancy81.3 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality5.4 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians2.23 per 1,000 (2019)

Hospital beds4.56 per 1,000 (2021)

Health spending$2,288 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Excellent

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure11.2 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress15.7% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Good

Digital infrastructure

Internet use85.2% (2024)

Internet resilience55 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed58 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed73 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality2.72 / 5 (2018)

Air connectivity63,216 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Moderate

Attainment

Expected schooling12.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling7.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment48% gross (2022)

Education spending5.2% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	$3,000-10,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Dhivehi
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Good

HDI0.766 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy81.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling12.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling7.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025