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: $759 in Blantyre versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,198 in Blantyre versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,637 in Blantyre versus $3,660 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 43% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 MWK 8,288

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

35.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.77 MWK 25.4K

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

-54.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 MWK 15.7K

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

85.05%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MWK 4,509

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

-2.95%

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

$0.81 MWK 1,385

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

-39.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MWK 849

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MWK 2,044

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

-59.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MWK 4,896

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

-28.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MWK 1,651

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-46.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 MWK 2,237

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

-48.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 MWK 3,507

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

75.86%

Eggs

$1.75 MWK 3,010

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-28.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.49 MWK 6,000

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

-76.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.57 MWK 9,567

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

28.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 MWK 10.4K

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

-49.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 MWK 3,903

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

-40.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 MWK 4,000

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

49.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MWK 4,287

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

-11.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 MWK 1,827

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

-54.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 MWK 2,234

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-31.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MWK 2,277

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-39.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MWK 567

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

-67.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MWK 1,394

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 MWK 4,039

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

-29.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 MWK 18.6K

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

-54.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MWK 1,640

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

-65.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 MWK 2,830

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

-42.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 MWK 1,438

$0.27 Rp 4,819

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MWK 979

$0.46 Rp 8,181

23.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MWK 4,072

$0.45 Rp 8,068

426.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 MWK 10.7K

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

2.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MWK 2,659

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

96.20%

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

$35.6K MWK 61.1M

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

35.99%

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

$39.6K MWK 68.0M

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

23.32%

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

$38.46 MWK 66.0K

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-51.89%

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

$7.76 MWK 13.3K

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

91.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$146 MWK 250.2K

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

519.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 MWK 102.3K

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-39.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 MWK 25.6K

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

124.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

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

$355 MWK 610.0K

$304 Rp 5.4M

16.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$597 MWK 1.0M

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

-90.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.54 MWK 78.2K

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

-18.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.28 MWK 60.6K

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

-7.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 MWK 99.1K

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-34.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 MWK 121.7K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 MWK 351.9K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-79.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.6 MWK 157.3K

$675 Rp 12.1M

-86.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MWK 955.0K

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

-83.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MWK 598.0K

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

-82.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$396 MWK 680.6K

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

-82.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$338 MWK 580.6K

$165 Rp 3.0M

104.63%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $205 in Blantyre and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Blantyre pays 105% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $302 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 87% in total monthly costs ($759 vs $1,419 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Blantyre pays 105% more on average, 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: $205 in Blantyre versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $759 per month in Blantyre versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $759 in Blantyre versus $1,419 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 87% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.