Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Blantyre Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Blantyre

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $603 in Blantyre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Tbilisi versus $1,033 in Blantyre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Tbilisi versus $1,463 in Blantyre.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 113% more expensive than in Blantyre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Blantyre 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ₾30.55

$4.08 MWK 6,999

187.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₾98.8

$13.16 MWK 22.6K

187.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.41

$6.93 MWK 11.9K

40.55%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.90

$2.76 MWK 4,731

23.55%

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

$1.06 ₾2.76

$0.84 MWK 1,436

26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.48 MWK 827

35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₾7.05

$1.05 MWK 1,807

157.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.08

$1.80 MWK 3,092

72.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₾5.73

$1.02 MWK 1,747

115.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₾2.10

$1.32 MWK 2,269

-38.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$2.01 MWK 3,458

-18.41%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.18

$1.66 MWK 2,848

65.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₾23.50

$3.62 MWK 6,218

148.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ₾17.09

$5.67 MWK 9,744

15.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 ₾32.91

$6.42 MWK 11.0K

96.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.36

$2.19 MWK 3,755

-23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₾4.73

$2.37 MWK 4,065

-23.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₾5.03

$2.41 MWK 4,138

-19.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ₾6.76

$1.06 MWK 1,826

144.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$1.30 MWK 2,231

-33.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.68

$1.30 MWK 2,232

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₾3.63

$0.33 MWK 572

321.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.08

$0.82 MWK 1,411

-2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.78

$2.33 MWK 3,996

44.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₾19.66

$13.73 MWK 23.6K

-45.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₾4.21

$0.88 MWK 1,519

82.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.86

$1.57 MWK 2,703

43.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.51 MWK 876

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₾3.05

$0.58 MWK 991

101.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₾2.09

$1.49 MWK 2,552

-46.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 ₾29.55

$3.88 MWK 6,663

192.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$1.56 MWK 2,683

-14.74%

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

$25.0K ₾65.2K

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

-28.14%

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

$22.4K ₾58.4K

$38.6K MWK 66.3M

-42.04%

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

$89.1 ₾232

$26.69 MWK 45.8K

233.87%

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

$13.25 ₾34.55

$8.10 MWK 13.9K

63.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₾50.8

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 ₾178

$59.2 MWK 101.7K

15.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 ₾48.73

$15.09 MWK 25.9K

23.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₾17.30

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

$363 ₾948

$390 MWK 670.1K

-6.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$591 MWK 1.0M

1703.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾270

$43.09 MWK 74.0K

140.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 ₾101

$39.41 MWK 67.7K

-1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$49.53 MWK 85.0K

135.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$69.1 MWK 118.6K

77.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,780

$232 MWK 398.3K

194.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₾1,165

$116 MWK 199.2K

284.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,349

$609 MWK 1.0M

110.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₾2,399

$387 MWK 664.0K

137.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₾6,486

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₾3,711

$393 MWK 675.1K

261.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₾1,684

$333 MWK 571.7K

93.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Blantyre: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $232 in Blantyre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 94% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $13.00 in Blantyre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $189 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

Tbilisi vs Blantyre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Blantyre differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($1,286 vs $603 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 94% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $232 in Blantyre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,286 per month in Tbilisi versus $603 in Blantyre – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $603 in Blantyre versus $1,286 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Blantyre but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Blantyre the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Tbilisi 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 Blantyre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.