Cost of Living Comparison Between Blantyre and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Blantyre and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Blantyre versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Blantyre versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,618 in Blantyre versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Blantyre costs roughly 47% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Blantyre is 44% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 MWK 8,598

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

45.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.89 MWK 25.6K

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

-53.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 MWK 15.2K

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

83.47%

Cappuccino

$2.61 MWK 4,490

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-5.09%

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

$0.85 MWK 1,456

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-38.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MWK 910

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-29.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MWK 2,041

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-60.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MWK 5,046

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

-23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 MWK 1,615

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-45.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MWK 2,133

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 MWK 3,391

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

69.23%

Eggs

$1.75 MWK 3,010

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-27.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.65 MWK 6,270

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-74.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 MWK 9,453

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

26.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 MWK 10.7K

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

-47.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 MWK 3,681

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-42.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 MWK 4,061

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

45.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MWK 4,107

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-12.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MWK 1,884

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-50.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MWK 2,343

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 MWK 2,258

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-42.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 MWK 526

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-70.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MWK 1,435

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 MWK 3,954

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

-30.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 MWK 18.4K

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MWK 1,563

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-67.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 MWK 2,816

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

-39.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 MWK 1,515

$0.27 Rp 4,778

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 MWK 1,039

$0.48 Rp 8,659

27.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MWK 4,287

$0.42 Rp 7,532

495.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MWK 10.4K

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

-2.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MWK 2,739

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

96.30%

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

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

30.64%

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

$39.5K MWK 67.9M

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

22.85%

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

$37.42 MWK 64.3K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-52.24%

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

$8.14 MWK 14.0K

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

100.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$148 MWK 253.8K

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

507.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 MWK 103.0K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.60 MWK 25.1K

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

130.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

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

$361 MWK 619.1K

$305 Rp 5.5M

18.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$597 MWK 1.0M

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

-91.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.00 MWK 77.3K

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

-16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.22 MWK 58.8K

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-9.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 MWK 101.5K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-31.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 MWK 118.9K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 MWK 343.2K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-79.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.3 MWK 153.3K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-86.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 MWK 931.4K

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-83.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 MWK 606.9K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-82.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$400 MWK 686.8K

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-82.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$339 MWK 582.7K

$167 Rp 3.0M

103.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Blantyre: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $200 in Blantyre and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Blantyre pays 103% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Blantyre vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $297 per month, with Blantyre cheaper across the board.

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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Blantyre and Ubud, Bali differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($747 vs $1,408 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 103% higher in Blantyre, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $200 in Blantyre versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $747 per month in Blantyre versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $747 in Blantyre versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Blantyre but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Blantyre the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Blantyre and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Blantyre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.