Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Mali: $904 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

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🇲🇱 Mali

$904

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mali and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mali and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $904 in Mali versus $2,734 in the United States.

Mali $904
United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,481 in Mali versus $3,985 in the United States.

Mali $1,481
United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,058 in Mali versus $5,235 in the United States.

Mali $2,058
United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $86–$894 in Mali. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Mali costs about 67% less than in the United States on average.

Mali (34% below) and the United States (101% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 F CFA 4,952

$20.03 $20.03

-57.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.49 F CFA 21.3K

$80.0 $80.0

-54.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 F CFA 4,825

$11.80 $11.80

-30.08%

Cappuccino

$1.71 F CFA 1,002

$5.55 $5.55

-69.19%

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

$0.89 F CFA 519

$2.66 $2.66

-66.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 F CFA 416

$2.17 $2.17

-67.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 F CFA 1,368

$6.12 $6.12

-61.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.20 F CFA 12.4K

$7.94 $7.94

167.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 F CFA 1,137

$1.04 $1.04

86.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 F CFA 2,224

$3.59 $3.59

5.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

Eggs

$6.05 F CFA 3,540

$4.28 $4.28

41.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.84 F CFA 10.4K

$13.22 $13.22

34.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.36 F CFA 10.2K

$12.60 $12.60

37.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 F CFA 7,778

$17.60 $17.60

-24.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 F CFA 1,819

$5.30 $5.30

-41.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 F CFA 853

$1.69 $1.69

-13.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 F CFA 1,697

$4.44 $4.44

-34.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 F CFA 1,355

$4.77 $4.77

-51.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 F CFA 975

$2.97 $2.97

-43.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 F CFA 923

$3.15 $3.15

-49.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.11 F CFA 62.7

$2.20 $2.20

-95.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 F CFA 1,696

$2.35 $2.35

23.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.01 F CFA 592

$10.98 $10.98

-90.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 F CFA 853

$2.06 $2.06

-29.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 F CFA 762

$3.79 $3.79

-65.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 F CFA 714

$1.88 $1.88

-35.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 F CFA 635

$1.02 $1.02

6.86%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

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

$26.2K $26.2K

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

$147 F CFA 86.2K

$218 $218

-32.35%

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

$62.5 $62.5

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 F CFA 38.0K

$74.5 $74.5

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.1 F CFA 41.0K

$41.86 $41.86

67.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

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

$76.9 F CFA 45.0K

$1,489 $1,489

-94.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 F CFA 100.3K

$1,659 $1,659

-89.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.5 F CFA 46.5K

$1,348 $1,348

-94.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 F CFA 295.9K

$2,682 $2,682

-81.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 F CFA 173.4K

$2,169 $2,169

-86.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K F CFA 5.9M

$3,283 $3,283

208.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$843 F CFA 493.3K

$2,482 $2,482

-66.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 F CFA 150.1K

$4,296 $4,296

-94.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

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

Last update for Mali: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mali

–

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

Groceries & Markets

Mali

–

United States

$415 15.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mali

–

United States

$355 13%

Eating Out

Mali

–

United States

$328 12%

Clothing & Footwear

Mali

–

United States

$137 5%

Getting Around

Mali

–

United States

$80 2.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Mali

–

United States

$71 2.6%

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $176 in Mali, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $176 in Bamako vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $264 in Mali, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 820% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 108% more in the United States.

Salaries are about 17 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇲🇱 Mali

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

22:53 10:53 PM

17:53 5:53 PM

5 h behind Mali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

20,250,833

340,110,988

💱 Currency

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 West African CFA Franc (Fr)

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to XOF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mali United States 8,210 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Mali
United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mali vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $904 per month in Mali and $2,734 in the United States, Mali comes out about 67% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $176 in Mali. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: Mali wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.