Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Malawi Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Malawi

Name: Malawi
Address: MW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Brazil vs $199 in Malawi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Brazil vs $344 in Malawi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Brazil vs $488 in Malawi, rent included.

Brazil costs about 284% more than Malawi on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Brazil and Malawi are more affordable than the global median – Brazil 43% lower, Malawi 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 R$27.48

$5.03 MWK 8,750

9.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.01 R$145

$21.70 MWK 37.7K

33.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 R$30.69

$8.71 MWK 15.1K

-29.39%

Cappuccino

$1.72 R$8.61

$2.92 MWK 5,080

-41.10%

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

$1.12 R$5.60

$0.87 MWK 1,508

28.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R$3.52

$0.47 MWK 810

51.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.77

$1.33 MWK 2,321

32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.28

$3.00 MWK 5,220

-11.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.96

$1.01 MWK 1,758

-1.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.36

$1.31 MWK 2,274

12.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.07

$1.55 MWK 2,688

-21.29%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.32 MWK 4,040

-9.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 R$43.60

$7.46 MWK 13.0K

17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 R$18.48

$3.48 MWK 6,047

6.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 R$37.08

$5.54 MWK 9,634

34.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 R$10.73

$2.37 MWK 4,118

-9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.57

$1.68 MWK 2,930

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.70

$2.27 MWK 3,943

-49.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.23

$1.20 MWK 2,079

20.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.88

$1.38 MWK 2,400

-14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.27

$1.37 MWK 2,384

-22.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 R$3.54

$0.30 MWK 529

136.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.19

$1.11 MWK 1,928

-42.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.90

$2.38 MWK 4,144

-8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.17

$12.59 MWK 21.9K

-36.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$5.90

$0.99 MWK 1,723

19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.20

$1.93 MWK 3,362

16.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.30

$1.01 MWK 1,758

-14.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.78 R$208

$2.12 MWK 3,680

1870.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.50

$0.62 MWK 1,071

77.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.18

$2.49 MWK 4,337

-66.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 R$36.95

$6.17 MWK 10.7K

19.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.39

$1.62 MWK 2,820

-33.33%

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

$21.6K R$107.9K

$35.2K MWK 61.2M

-38.56%

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

$27.2K R$135.8K

$39.3K MWK 68.4M

-30.78%

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

$68.1 R$340

$49.49 MWK 86.1K

37.68%

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

$14.12 R$70.5

$10.13 MWK 17.6K

39.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.25 R$96.0

$70.5 MWK 122.6K

-72.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 R$115

$44.40 MWK 77.2K

-47.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.58 R$113

$15.09 MWK 26.2K

49.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 R$31.22

$4.06 MWK 7,068

54.19%

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

$282 R$1,409

$370 MWK 644.2K

-23.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,250 R$36.2K

$1,490 MWK 2.6M

386.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.23 R$246

$42.05 MWK 73.1K

17.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.14 R$210

$34.14 MWK 59.4K

23.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 R$375

$58.0 MWK 100.9K

29.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$309

$70.3 MWK 122.2K

-11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,628

$204 MWK 354.3K

60.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 R$1,130

$84.4 MWK 146.7K

168.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 R$3,265

$439 MWK 763.9K

48.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 R$2,245

$348 MWK 605.6K

29.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 R$9,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 R$6,572

$395 MWK 686.5K

233.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 R$2,700

$317 MWK 550.5K

70.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

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

Last update for Brazil: April 28, 2026

Last update for Malawi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $498 in Brazil vs $389 in Malawi. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1120% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 350% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 3800% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 28% higher in Brazil, giving Malawi stronger purchasing power.

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

Brazil vs Malawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malawi is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 119% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Brazil, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Brazil consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Malawi, contributing to the overall 119% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Malawi, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Malawi is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.