Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Blantyre Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Blantyre

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 19.1% cheaper than Blantyre without rent, and 15.4% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 7.6% cheaper than Blantyre without rent, and 10.1% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿64.0

$4.83 MWK 8,403

-57.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.59 ฿586

$15.24 MWK 26.5K

21.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿236

$9.17 MWK 15.9K

-18.43%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ฿63.0

$2.73 MWK 4,755

-26.74%

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

$0.85 ฿26.72

$0.86 MWK 1,488

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.09

$0.49 MWK 844

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿69.8

$1.19 MWK 2,067

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ฿118

$2.88 MWK 5,013

30.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ฿54.2

$0.94 MWK 1,636

82.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿51.5

$1.31 MWK 2,273

24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ฿36.54

$2.03 MWK 3,534

-42.86%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿62.4

$1.66 MWK 2,889

19.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.93 ฿502

$3.62 MWK 6,291

340.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿99.9

$5.70 MWK 9,919

-44.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿344

$6.27 MWK 10.9K

73.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿83.4

$2.17 MWK 3,766

22.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿38.57

$2.39 MWK 4,162

-48.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿53.5

$2.46 MWK 4,285

-30.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.2

$1.10 MWK 1,912

44.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.76

$1.35 MWK 2,356

-2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿36.86

$1.30 MWK 2,264

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿21.38

$0.30 MWK 530

126.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.58

$0.78 MWK 1,355

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ฿142

$2.44 MWK 4,240

84.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 ฿602

$10.63 MWK 18.5K

79.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿55.8

$0.90 MWK 1,562

96.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿100

$1.61 MWK 2,795

97.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿30.37

$0.88 MWK 1,525

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.90 ฿596

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.83

$0.56 MWK 979

142.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.65

$2.38 MWK 4,135

-43.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 ฿253

$6.13 MWK 10.7K

31.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿39.20

$1.61 MWK 2,796

-22.98%

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

$21.2K ฿667.5K

$35.7K MWK 62.1M

-40.71%

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

$21.8K ฿686.1K

$39.2K MWK 68.2M

-44.48%

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

$71.2 ฿2,247

$37.83 MWK 65.8K

88.32%

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

$14.09 ฿444

$8.02 MWK 13.9K

75.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.47 ฿551

$148 MWK 257.6K

-88.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 ฿1,327

$58.5 MWK 101.7K

-28.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿217

$14.90 MWK 25.9K

-53.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 ฿187

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

$307 ฿9,694

$363 MWK 630.6K

-15.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿466.6K

$583 MWK 1.0M

2436.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 ฿1,756

$45.03 MWK 78.3K

23.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.79 ฿845

$34.32 MWK 59.7K

-21.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 ฿2,625

$57.9 MWK 100.7K

43.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ฿2,211

$69.3 MWK 120.6K

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.5K

$198 MWK 344.7K

115.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,478

$92.1 MWK 160.3K

157.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿25.3K

$542 MWK 942.3K

47.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ฿15.9K

$355 MWK 617.3K

41.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,061 ฿65.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 ฿48.3K

$399 MWK 694.2K

284.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 ฿20.6K

$495 MWK 860.6K

32.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Blantyre: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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