Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Blantyre Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Blantyre

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $704 in Da Nang versus $747 in Blantyre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Da Nang versus $1,183 in Blantyre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,458 in Da Nang versus $1,618 in Blantyre.

Living in Da Nang costs roughly 6% less than in Blantyre, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Da Nang 47% lower, Blantyre 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.93 ₫50.8K

$5.01 MWK 8,598

-61.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.46 ₫511.5K

$14.89 MWK 25.6K

30.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 ₫122.2K

$8.88 MWK 15.2K

-47.64%

Cappuccino

$1.61 ₫42.3K

$2.61 MWK 4,490

-38.31%

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

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.85 MWK 1,456

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₫7,592

$0.53 MWK 910

-45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

$1.19 MWK 2,041

-10.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₫41.7K

$2.94 MWK 5,046

-45.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ₫36.3K

$0.94 MWK 1,615

46.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₫24.9K

$1.24 MWK 2,133

-23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.98 MWK 3,391

-40.91%

Eggs

$1.43 ₫37.5K

$1.75 MWK 3,010

-18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 ₫331.0K

$3.65 MWK 6,270

244.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ₫95.8K

$5.51 MWK 9,453

-33.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 ₫257.3K

$6.24 MWK 10.7K

56.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.4K

$2.14 MWK 3,681

28.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.8K

$2.37 MWK 4,061

-60.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.4K

$2.39 MWK 4,107

-53.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.6K

$1.10 MWK 1,884

-4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.36 MWK 2,343

-19.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫31.4K

$1.31 MWK 2,258

-9.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₫26.3K

$0.31 MWK 526

222.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₫12.7K

$0.84 MWK 1,435

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.3K

$2.30 MWK 3,954

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 ₫197.7K

$10.74 MWK 18.4K

-29.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₫21.4K

$0.91 MWK 1,563

-10.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₫42.1K

$1.64 MWK 2,816

-2.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,321

$0.88 MWK 1,515

-63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.73 ₫98.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₫21.5K

$0.61 MWK 1,039

34.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.3K

$2.50 MWK 4,287

-72.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.03 ₫316.4K

$6.07 MWK 10.4K

98.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$1.59 MWK 2,739

-42.77%

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

$27.2K ₫715.1M

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

-21.75%

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

$28.1K ₫739.2M

$39.5K MWK 67.9M

-28.89%

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

$74.1 ₫1.9M

$37.42 MWK 64.3K

97.92%

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

$5.97 ₫157.0K

$8.14 MWK 14.0K

-26.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.07 ₫212.3K

$148 MWK 253.8K

-94.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.06 ₫527.5K

$60.0 MWK 103.0K

-66.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.52 ₫197.6K

$14.60 MWK 25.1K

-48.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 ₫78.9K

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

$153 ₫4.0M

$361 MWK 619.1K

-57.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₫336.9M

$597 MWK 1.0M

2048.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.61 ₫1.0M

$45.00 MWK 77.3K

-11.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.60 ₫673.1K

$34.22 MWK 58.8K

-25.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 ₫1.4M

$59.1 MWK 101.5K

-10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 ₫2.0M

$69.3 MWK 118.9K

11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₫9.6M

$200 MWK 343.2K

82.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₫6.4M

$89.3 MWK 153.3K

173.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ₫19.2M

$542 MWK 931.4K

34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ₫12.0M

$353 MWK 606.9K

29.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,767 ₫99.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,304 ₫34.3M

$400 MWK 686.8K

226.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 ₫9.4M

$339 MWK 582.7K

5.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

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

Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026

Last update for Blantyre: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Da Nang and $200 in Blantyre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Da Nang pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Da Nang vs $15.00 in Blantyre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $181 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

Da Nang vs Blantyre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Da Nang and Blantyre differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($704 vs $747 including rent). Da Nang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Da Nang, 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: $365 in Da Nang versus $200 in Blantyre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Blantyre pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $704 per month in Da Nang versus $747 in Blantyre – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Da Nang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Da Nang and Blantyre 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 Da Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Blantyre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.