As of November 12, 2026, Sri Lanka is cheaper than Maldives for travelers: a mid-range day costs about $61 in Sri Lanka against $232 in Maldives, a gap of 282.6%. Over the past year Sri Lanka has moved more in the US-dollar traveler's favor (+8.7% after inflation, against −0.4%). Both sit at US advisory Level 2.
| Measure | Maldives | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range day | $232 | $61 |
| Lean day | $74 | $26 |
| Comfortable day | $634 | $140 |
| Real change, 12 months | −0.4% | +8.7% |
| Exchange rate alone, 12 months | 0.0% | +9.8% |
| Versus 5-year average | +3.0% | +2.6% |
| US advisory | Level 2 · Increased caution | Level 2 · Increased caution |
| Ease of travel | 3.8 · Well set up | 3.6 · Workable |
| Index score | 43 | 71 |
| Best months | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar |
| Shoulder months | May, Nov | Apr, Sep, Nov |
The better figure in each row is in bold. Costs are modeled estimates per person, excluding international flights.
Overwater villas at any price you care to name, and guesthouse islands at a tenth of it.
The catchResort islands price in dollars with heavy taxes and transfer fees. Alcohol is banned on local islands.
Beaches, tea country, safari and ruins inside one small island.
The catchRecovering from a 2022 sovereign default: prices have risen quickly and foreigner pricing at national sites is steep.
Source: Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026. How this is calculated.