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: $603 in Blantyre versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,033 in Blantyre versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,463 in Blantyre versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Blantyre costs roughly 57% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Blantyre is 56% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 MWK 6,999

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

21.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.16 MWK 22.6K

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

-65.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 MWK 11.9K

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

25.54%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MWK 4,731

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

4.55%

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

$0.84 MWK 1,436

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

-49.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MWK 827

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 MWK 1,807

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

-60.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MWK 3,092

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

-57.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 MWK 1,747

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-34.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MWK 2,269

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

-40.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 MWK 3,458

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

77.88%

Eggs

$1.66 MWK 2,848

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

-20.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.62 MWK 6,218

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

-79.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 MWK 9,744

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

46.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.42 MWK 11.0K

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

-48.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 MWK 3,755

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

-39.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 MWK 4,065

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

51.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MWK 4,138

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 MWK 1,826

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

-48.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 MWK 2,231

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

-31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 MWK 2,232

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MWK 572

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

-67.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MWK 1,411

$0.55 Rp 9,779

49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 MWK 3,996

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

3.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 MWK 23.6K

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

-42.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MWK 1,519

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

-61.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MWK 2,703

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

-43.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MWK 876

$0.27 Rp 4,802

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 MWK 991

$0.48 Rp 8,489

20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 MWK 2,552

$0.45 Rp 7,863

231.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 MWK 6,663

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

-32.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MWK 2,683

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

105.26%

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

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

42.03%

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

$38.6K MWK 66.3M

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

20.22%

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

$26.69 MWK 45.8K

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-68.06%

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

$8.10 MWK 13.9K

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

25.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.2 MWK 101.7K

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

5.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 MWK 25.9K

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

-18.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

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

$390 MWK 670.1K

$487 Rp 8.6M

-19.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$591 MWK 1.0M

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

-89.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.09 MWK 74.0K

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

-5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 MWK 67.7K

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

8.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.53 MWK 85.0K

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

-39.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 MWK 118.6K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-14.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 MWK 398.3K

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-79.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 MWK 199.2K

$701 Rp 12.4M

-83.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 MWK 1.0M

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-82.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MWK 664.0K

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-78.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$393 MWK 675.1K

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

-82.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 MWK 571.7K

$170 Rp 3.0M

96.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Blantyre: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Blantyre and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Blantyre pays 96% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Blantyre vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $293 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 132% in total monthly costs ($603 vs $1,396 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 96% 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: $232 in Blantyre versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $603 per month in Blantyre versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $603 in Blantyre versus $1,396 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 132% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.