Cost of Living Comparison Between Malawi and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Malawi and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

🙂 Solo nomad: Malawi is 1.8% cheaper than South Africa without rent, and 38.1% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Malawi is 3.7% cheaper than South Africa without rent, and 30.7% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 MWK 8,508

$8.84 R 145

-44.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.27 MWK 37.1K

$38.50 R 631

-44.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 MWK 14.8K

$5.07 R 83.2

66.67%

Cappuccino

$2.81 MWK 4,907

$2.04 R 33.40

37.75%

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

$0.81 MWK 1,420

$1.04 R 17.02

-22.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MWK 819

$0.74 R 12.08

-36.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 MWK 2,313

$2.31 R 37.83

-42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MWK 5,003

$2.47 R 40.57

16.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MWK 1,831

$1.07 R 17.55

-1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 MWK 2,273

$1.01 R 16.51

28.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MWK 2,699

$1.57 R 25.79

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.37 MWK 4,145

$2.33 R 38.26

1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 MWK 13.0K

$7.68 R 126

-3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MWK 5,945

$4.47 R 73.4

-23.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.47 MWK 9,552

$6.60 R 108

-17.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 MWK 4,119

$1.56 R 25.55

51.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MWK 2,950

$1.45 R 23.80

16.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MWK 3,913

$1.51 R 24.79

48.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MWK 2,160

$1.49 R 24.39

-16.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 MWK 2,395

$1.21 R 19.91

13.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 MWK 2,289

$1.33 R 21.80

-1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MWK 577

$1.08 R 17.70

-69.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MWK 2,032

$0.94 R 15.34

23.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 MWK 4,198

$2.85 R 46.74

-15.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 MWK 22.0K

$4.89 R 80.3

157.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MWK 1,696

$1.38 R 22.64

-29.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MWK 3,370

$1.69 R 27.65

14.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 MWK 1,640

$1.73 R 28.33

-45.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.21 MWK 3,863

$45.33 R 743

-95.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 MWK 1,064

$1.10 R 18.01

-44.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MWK 4,299

$1.10 R 18.03

123.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 MWK 10.8K

$4.69 R 76.9

31.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 MWK 2,848

$1.30 R 21.32

25.38%

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

$35.3K MWK 61.7M

$20.6K R 337.3K

71.81%

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

$39.3K MWK 68.6M

$24.2K R 396.4K

62.49%

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

$47.92 MWK 83.6K

$110 R 1,811

-56.61%

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

$10.30 MWK 18.0K

$32.07 R 526

-67.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 MWK 122.9K

$40.81 R 669

72.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.04 MWK 78.6K

$31.33 R 514

43.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.07 MWK 26.3K

$9.44 R 155

59.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 MWK 6,957

$6.90 R 113

-42.17%

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

$376 MWK 657.2K

$187 R 3,074

100.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,454 MWK 2.5M

$4,385 R 71.9K

-66.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.95 MWK 71.5K

$49.70 R 815

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.04 MWK 61.2K

$31.23 R 512

12.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 MWK 102.3K

$93.0 R 1,526

-36.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 MWK 123.3K

$79.7 R 1,307

-11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 MWK 358.1K

$443 R 7,265

-53.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.9 MWK 142.9K

$369 R 6,048

-77.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 MWK 779.5K

$890 R 14.6K

-49.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 MWK 609.6K

$724 R 11.9K

-51.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,125 R 18.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$393 MWK 686.0K

$823 R 13.5K

-52.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 MWK 548.8K

$1,486 R 24.4K

-78.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

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

Last update for Malawi: January 13, 2026

Last update for South Africa: January 12, 2026

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malawi and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Malawi and South Africa

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