Catalyzes the phosphorylation of mevalonate to mevalonate 5-phosphate, a key step in isoprenoid and cholesterol biosynthesis. (R)-mevalonate + ATP = (R)-5-phosphomevalonate + ADP + H(+) Farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranyl pyrophosphate inhibit mevalonate kinase activity by binding competitively at the ATP-binding sites. Isoprenoid biosynthesis; isopentenyl diphosphate biosynthesis via mevalonate pathway; isopentenyl diphosphate from (R)-mevalonate: step 1/3. Homodimer. The authors of PubMed:14730012 identify two forms of Mvk in rat liver, one form localizes to the cytosol and the other form to the peroxisome, whereas according to the authors of PubMed:14730012 the protein is found only in the cytoplasm with no evidence for its peroxisomal localization. Belongs to the GHMP kinase family. Mevalonate kinase subfamily.