Cost of Living Comparison Between Blantyre and Monkey Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Blantyre and Monkey Bay

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 MWK 8,328

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.03 MWK 25.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 MWK 15.3K

Cappuccino

$2.62 MWK 4,492

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MWK 1,342

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MWK 849

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 MWK 2,125

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MWK 5,097

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 MWK 1,717

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 MWK 2,155

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MWK 3,522

Eggs

$1.75 MWK 3,000

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.66 MWK 6,276

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 MWK 9,431

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 MWK 10.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 MWK 3,683

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 MWK 3,910

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 MWK 4,166

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MWK 1,893

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MWK 2,333

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MWK 2,318

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MWK 568

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MWK 1,348

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 MWK 3,972

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 MWK 18.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MWK 1,554

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MWK 2,845

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 MWK 1,496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MWK 980

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MWK 4,313

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 MWK 10.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MWK 2,665

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K MWK 60.2M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.4K MWK 66.0M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$37.42 MWK 64.3K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.96 MWK 13.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$146 MWK 250.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MWK 102.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.87 MWK 25.5K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$354 MWK 608.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$603 MWK 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.49 MWK 78.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.10 MWK 58.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 MWK 101.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MWK 122.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 MWK 338.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.7 MWK 157.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 MWK 949.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 MWK 606.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 MWK 676.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$328 MWK 563.0K

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Blantyre: June 7, 2026

Last update for Monkey Bay: June 9, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Blantyre vs Monkey Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Monkey Bay is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Blantyre, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Monkey Bay wins on affordability, Blantyre on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.