Survey on household spending and income resumes, MBS urges cooperation

The Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS) has resumed fieldwork for the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2026 in the Greater Male' Region, following a short break in the schedule.

MBS announced that survey teams will continue visits to selected households for five days starting Wednesday, collecting detailed information required for the national assessment. All enumerators will carry official MBS identification passes during fieldwork.

HIES is one of the country’s most important statistical exercises. Its core objectives include determining average household income and expenditure, updating the national poverty line, and developing new Consumer Price Index (CPI) weights. The survey also measures gaps in household resources and spending patterns across different population groups.

The survey gathers extensive information from households and individuals. This includes:

• Household-level data: spending on durable goods, furniture, communication services, electricity and water bills, health and transportation, clothing and footwear, education, loans and credit, and food consumption both at home and outside.  

• Individual-level data: migration history, education level, occupation and type of work performed, income earned, and information on unpaid family work and support.

MBS has requested full cooperation from all selected households and expressed appreciation for the continued support shown by residents during the survey period.

Concerns over the rising cost of basic necessities remain a major public issue. In recent weeks, the opposition MDP has released its own figures on household expenditure, adding political attention to the ongoing HIES data collection.