How much Green Tax does a couple pay for four nights?
At a resort, USD 96. At a small guesthouse on an inhabited island, USD 48. The formula is the rate, times the number of guests, times the number of nights.
The rates come from the MIRA circular effective 1 January 2025. This page works through the couple case in detail. For the general rules, see Maldives Green Tax explained, and for the wider budget our Budget and Real Cost hub.
Five four-night patterns, worked out
All rows are for two adults at RM4.09 per USD (Business Today, 7 Oct 2026).
| Four-night pattern | Calculation | Green Tax | In RM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 nights at a resort | USD 12 x 2 x 4 | USD 96 | about RM393 |
| 4 nights at a small guesthouse | USD 6 x 2 x 4 | USD 48 | about RM196 |
| 2 guesthouse + 2 resort | (6 x 2 x 2) + (12 x 2 x 2) | USD 72 | about RM294 |
| 1 Hulhumale guesthouse + 3 resort | (6 x 2 x 1) + (12 x 2 x 3) | USD 84 | about RM344 |
| 4 nights on a liveaboard | USD 12 x 2 x 4 | USD 96 | about RM393 |
A guesthouse with more than 50 rooms, or a hotel that is not on an inhabited island, charges USD 12. Ask each property which rate it uses.
Nights, not days
A 5D4N trip has four nights, so four nights of Green Tax. A 4D3N trip has three nights, so a couple pays USD 72 at a resort.
If you take an overnight flight home, the plane night does not count. Only nights at a registered property attract the tax.
Worked example: a honeymoon couple's four-night bill
A couple books four nights at a seaplane resort, in a USD 500 beach villa before tax, with Green Tax payable at check-out. Here is how that line fits into their accommodation bill.
The villa is USD 2,000 for four nights. Service charge and GST bring it to USD 2,574, and Green Tax adds USD 96, for USD 2,670 in total.
In ringgit that is about RM10,920, of which Green Tax is about RM393. If they pay at check-out by card, a foreign transaction fee of a few percent may apply on top, so it is worth knowing in advance.
If the same couple chooses a package that lists Green Tax among its inclusions, nothing more is due locally. That is why the inclusions line matters more than the amount.
Splitting four nights: does it save Green Tax?
Yes, a little. Swapping two resort nights for two small-guesthouse nights cuts Green Tax from USD 96 to USD 72, saving USD 24, about RM98.
The bigger saving comes from the room rate, not the tax. Our guide to budgeting a split stay shows how the whole bill changes.
How Green Tax compares with the other charges
For a couple, Green Tax is small next to service charge and GST on a resort room. On a USD 500 villa over four nights, service and GST add about USD 574, while Green Tax adds USD 96.
At a guesthouse the balance shifts. On a USD 100 room over four nights, service and GST add about USD 115 and Green Tax USD 48, which is about 30% of the add-ons.
The full uplift is worked out on the service charge versus GST calculation page.
How older figures understate it
Before 2025 the rates were USD 6 at resorts and USD 3 at small guesthouses (PSM News). A couple's four resort nights then carried USD 48, half of today's figure.
If a blog or old package sheet shows USD 48 for a couple's four resort nights, it uses the old rate. Add the USD 48 difference, about RM196, before comparing.
Checking Green Tax on your quote
- Does the inclusions list name Green Tax?
- Is it shown as per guest per night, and at USD 12 or USD 6?
- Does the night count match your actual nights at that property?
- For a split stay, is each property's rate shown separately?
- If it is payable locally, is it in USD, and will your card add a fee?
The Green Tax and tourism GST calculator runs the same sums for any number of nights.
Who this example suits
Honeymooners, couples on a short break and pairs of friends sharing a room can all use these figures as they are. Solo travellers pay half, as Green Tax is per guest.
Families should read Green Tax for children, because children aged two and over pay the full rate.
Rates are set by MIRA and can change, so check the circular date if you are reading this well after October 2026.
Questions travellers ask
Is Green Tax included in honeymoon packages?
Do we pay Green Tax on a night flight or the day we leave?
Is Green Tax charged on a liveaboard?
Will we pay Green Tax at check-out in cash?
Sources and checks
Last reviewed: · Prices researched:
- MIRA, circular on Green Tax rates from 1 January 2025 · mira.gov.mv · Checked 11 October 2026
- PSM News, previous Green Tax rates · cms.psmnews.mv · Checked 11 October 2026
- HolidayGoGoGo, 4D3N luxury honeymoon in private island Maldives · holidaygogogo.com · Checked 11 October 2026
- Business Today Malaysia, foreign exchange rates 7 October 2026 · businesstoday.com.my · Checked 11 October 2026
Tell us in your trip brief how you want to split your four nights, and we reply with options that show Green Tax as its own line for each property.
Planning your honeymoon?
Tell us your dates, the villa style you are dreaming of and your budget. We shortlist honeymoon-friendly resorts and show what each one includes, line by line.