Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malawi and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Malawi: $666 a month against $1,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

32

Cost of Living Index in Malawi
Learn more

Malawi Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
Learn more

Ubud, Bali Living Index

Jump to prices

🇲🇼 Malawi

$666

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,348

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: Malawi is 1.6% more expensive than Ubud, Bali without rent, and 50.6% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Malawi is 21% cheaper than Ubud, Bali without rent, and 50.5% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.09 MWK 8,739

$3.33 Rp 59.6K

52.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.28 MWK 45.1K

$35.42 Rp 633.1K

-25.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 MWK 11.2K

$5.76 Rp 102.9K

13.72%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MWK 5,531

$2.63 Rp 47.0K

22.43%

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

$0.87 MWK 1,490

$1.74 Rp 31.0K

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MWK 792

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

-40.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 MWK 2,506

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-46.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MWK 5,017

$4.52 Rp 80.8K

-35.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 MWK 1,961

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

-25.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MWK 2,253

$2.20 Rp 39.2K

-40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MWK 2,951

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

40.98%

Eggs

$2.15 MWK 3,693

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 MWK 13.1K

$17.73 Rp 316.9K

-57.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 MWK 6,446

$3.86 Rp 68.9K

-2.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.71 MWK 9,806

$12.03 Rp 215.0K

-52.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 MWK 4,280

$3.61 Rp 64.5K

-31.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MWK 3,074

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

18.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 MWK 3,875

$2.32 Rp 41.4K

-2.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 MWK 1,913

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

-44.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 MWK 2,321

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 MWK 2,506

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

-38.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 MWK 527

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

-68.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MWK 2,214

$0.52 Rp 9,373

148.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 MWK 4,023

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

7.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 MWK 24.9K

$22.98 Rp 410.7K

-36.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MWK 1,865

$2.40 Rp 42.8K

-54.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MWK 3,614

$3.00 Rp 53.6K

-30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MWK 1,432

$0.24 Rp 4,255

245.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.17 MWK 3,734

$6.99 Rp 125.0K

-68.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 MWK 1,055

$0.44 Rp 7,876

38.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 MWK 4,153

$0.42 Rp 7,582

476.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 MWK 3,675

$5.45 Rp 97.4K

-60.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MWK 2,605

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

80.95%

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

$35.5K MWK 60.9M

$24.3K Rp 434.8M

45.83%

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

$39.7K MWK 68.2M

$31.9K Rp 570.0M

24.56%

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

$38.60 MWK 66.3K

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-52.25%

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

$10.11 MWK 17.4K

$6.58 Rp 117.6K

53.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 MWK 132.0K

$18.24 Rp 326.1K

321.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.17 MWK 62.1K

$55.1 Rp 985.4K

-34.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 MWK 25.8K

$18.51 Rp 330.9K

-18.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

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

$378 MWK 648.6K

$486 Rp 8.7M

-22.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$594 MWK 1.0M

$5,676 Rp 101.5M

-89.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 MWK 75.0K

$45.18 Rp 807.6K

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 MWK 67.7K

$34.57 Rp 617.9K

14.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.86 MWK 83.9K

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

-38.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 MWK 118.6K

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

-10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 MWK 394.6K

$1,127 Rp 20.1M

-79.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.0 MWK 135.7K

$674 Rp 12.1M

-88.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 MWK 955.6K

$3,618 Rp 64.7M

-84.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 MWK 652.1K

$1,735 Rp 31.0M

-78.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 MWK 670.2K

$2,307 Rp 41.2M

-83.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 MWK 484.0K

$166 Rp 3.0M

70.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Malawi: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Malawi

$199 29.9%

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.4% 45.9% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Malawi

$126 18.9%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8% 15.9% $20

Eating Out

Malawi

$117 17.7%

Ubud, Bali

$108 8% 8% $9.4

Clothing & Footwear

Malawi

$90 13.6%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8% 17.6% $16

Accommodation & Living

Malawi

$79 11.9%

Ubud, Bali

$674 49.6% 753% $595

Sport & Entertainment

Malawi

$36 * 5.4%

Ubud, Bali

$64 4.7% 75.9% $27

Getting Around

Malawi

$18 2.7%

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.8% 42.4% $7.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇲🇼 Malawi

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

07:35 7:35 AM

13:35 1:35 PM

6 h ahead of Malawi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,622,104

74,800

💱 Currency

Malawian Kwacha MWK MK

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MWK = 5.82 USD

10,000 MWK = 5.19 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to MWK – Malawian Kwacha Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇼 Malawian Kwacha (MK)

Malawian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,717 MWK (10,000 MWK = 5.82 USD). 1 EUR = 1,926 MWK (10,000 MWK = 5.19 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,048 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

USD to MWK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations