Luxury Maldives · Updated October 2026 · By Abdulla Maseeh
The cost of a luxury Maldives holiday comes down to six things: the resort, the villa, your dates, the transfer, the meal plan and the extras. The resort and villa decide most of it, festive weeks cost far more than the low season, and service charge and tourism tax add almost 29 per cent before green tax. We do not publish live rates because they change daily, but this guide shows you exactly what you are paying for.
Where the money goes
Every luxury Maldives quote is built from the same parts. Here is how much each one moves the total.
The single biggest factor. Rates rise sharply from a five-star resort to an ultra-luxury island, and again for a private island or residence.
Beach or water, pool or no pool, one bedroom or four. A private pool or an end-of-jetty position each moves the price up a clear step.
Christmas, New Year and Easter are the most expensive weeks of the year. May to October brings the best offers.
A seaplane is charged per person and costs more than a speedboat. A private seaplane or yacht costs more again.
Charged per person per night. At luxury resorts, eating à la carte without a plan adds up quickly.
Spa, diving, private dining, excursions and wine. Easy to underestimate, and never included unless the plan says so.
Levels of luxury
Moving up a level changes more than the villa. You pay for more space, more staff per guest, private transfers and experiences you cannot get elsewhere.
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Five-star resorts with pool villas, several restaurants, a full spa and a dive centre.
Examples Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, Six Senses Laamu, Conrad Rangali Island, Angsana Velavaru
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The most expensive resorts in the country: bigger villas, more staff per guest and signature experiences.
Examples Cheval Blanc Randheli, Soneva Jani, Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi, Ritz-Carlton Fari
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A whole island, or a residence with its own pool, beach, chef and host, booked by the night.
Examples Velaa, Naladhu, Coco Privé Kuda Hithi, Four Seasons Voavah
Door to door
Priced separately
International flights are often a large part of a luxury budget, especially in business or first class. Departure tax is included in your ticket and rose for tickets issued from December 2024: business class now pays more than twice the economy rate, first class nearly five times and private jets nearly ten times.
Ask about it
Most luxury resorts meet you at Velana airport and many have their own seaplane lounge, included for guests. A paid VIP arrival with fast-track immigration is an optional extra.
Priced separately
Charged per person for the return trip, with child rates. Speedboats run day and night; seaplanes fly only in daylight, so a late arrival can mean a night near the airport, which is also extra. See VIP and private transfers.
In our quote
Priced per villa per night, by season. Festive weeks often have a minimum stay of five to seven nights.
In our quote
Your meal plan, priced per person per night. Wine, cocktails and in-villa dining beyond the plan are charged at resort prices.
Ask about it
Spa, diving, excursions, private dining and yacht trips are extra unless a package or all-inclusive plan includes some of them.
In our quote
Service charge, tourism tax and green tax. Our quotes always include them, so the number you see is the number you pay.
Ask about it
Late check-out or a day room before an evening flight is often charged, especially when the resort is full.
On every bill
These apply at every resort and are the same at every level of luxury. A rate that looks low on a booking site may not include them, so always compare totals.
| Charge | Rate | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Service charge | 10 per cent | Added to the room, meals and most extras. It goes to resort staff. |
| Tourism goods and services tax (TGST) | 17 per cent | Charged on the bill including service charge. Rose from 16 per cent on 1 July 2025. |
| Green tax | Fixed, per person per night | Doubled for resorts from 1 January 2025. Children under two are exempt. |
| Departure tax and airport fee | Fixed, per ticket | Included in your airfare. Higher for business, first class and private jets since December 2024. |
The most expensive weeks
From about 20 December to early January, luxury resorts charge their highest rates of the year, often with a minimum stay of five to seven nights and a compulsory gala dinner on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Easter and February half-term are the next busiest family weeks, and Chinese New Year fills many resorts too.
Easy to miss
These are the lines that turn a good quote into a surprising bill at check-out. None of them is a reason not to go; just decide in advance which ones you want, and we will price them in.
Three example trips
Three trips we plan often, with every line that appears on the quote. The totals depend on the resort and your dates, which is why we price each one for you.
Two adults, an overwater pool villa, half board, travelling in June
On the quote
Worth knowing
Two adults and two children, a two-bedroom beach pool villa, full board, Easter holidays
On the quote
Worth knowing
Eight guests, a four-bedroom residence with a chef and host, all-inclusive
On the quote
Worth knowing
More for your money
Late April, May and November often bring good weather with lower rates than the dry-season peak.
Many luxury resorts give free nights on longer stays, so seven nights can cost little more than five.
Start in a beach villa and finish over the water, or pair a resort near Malé with an outer-atoll island.
At remote ultra-luxury islands, an all-inclusive plan can cost less than half board plus drinks.
For two families or a group of friends, a multi-bedroom villa often costs less per person than separate villas.
A resort within an hour of Malé by speedboat saves the seaplane fare and the risk of a transit night.
Christmas, New Year and Easter sell out first, and the best villas go nine to twelve months ahead.
We often get better value than booking sites, with offers, upgrades and transfers in one written quote.
The honest answer
For most people it is a once-in-a-decade trip, and what you are buying is space, privacy and service that are hard to find anywhere else: your own pool over a lagoon, a reef a few steps from your villa, a butler who remembers how you take your coffee. The difference between luxury and ultra-luxury is real, but smaller than the price gap. Many of our guests get the most from a top five-star resort, and put the difference towards more nights or one or two unforgettable experiences.
If you want to see where each resort sits, use our luxury resort comparison, or start with the 20 best luxury resorts.
Questions
It depends on six things: the resort, the villa, your dates, the transfer, the meal plan and the extras you add. Rates change daily, so we do not publish live rates. Send us your dates and who is travelling, and we will quote two or three resorts with everything included.
Almost everything on a resort island is imported, each resort runs its own power, water and staff housing, and the islands are reached by seaplane or boat. Add almost 29 per cent in service charge and tourism tax plus green tax, and luxury prices follow.
A 10 per cent service charge, then 17 per cent tourism goods and services tax on the total, which together add almost 29 per cent. Green tax is charged on top, per person per night, with children under two exempt. Departure tax is included in your airfare.
Usually the villa nights, followed by international flights, the meal plan and the seaplane transfer. At the top end, extras such as private dining, spa and yacht trips can add a surprising amount, so we price the ones you want into the quote.
May to October, during the south-west monsoon, when resorts run their best offers. The shoulder months of late April, May and November are a good balance of weather and price. Christmas, New Year and Easter are the most expensive.
Often, on remote islands where there is nowhere else to eat and drinks are priced like a top hotel bar. Check what the plan covers: some include spa credits, excursions and premium wines, others only house drinks.
Rarely. Seaplanes are charged per person for the return trip and can be one of the largest items after the villa. Our quotes always include transfers, so you can compare resorts fairly.
No. A 10 per cent service charge is added to your bill and goes to staff. Tipping is optional, though many guests leave something for their butler or a guide who made their stay.
Often, yes. Local agents receive resort offers, packaged transfer rates and upgrades that booking sites do not always show. We are often better value than booking sites, and our written quotes include every tax and charge.
Send your dates, who is travelling and the kind of luxury you want. We will come back with two or three resorts and a full written quote: villa, meals, transfers, taxes and any festive charges, with nothing added at check-out.
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Written by Abdulla Maseeh, HolidayVibe Maldives, Malé. Updated 26 October 2026. Tax rates follow the Maldives tax changes of 2024 and 2025; resort details come from resort fact sheets and websites. We confirm every rate and charge at the time of booking.
