Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Blantyre Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Blantyre

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $759 in Blantyre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,198 in Blantyre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,637 in Blantyre.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 87% more expensive than Blantyre, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Blantyre is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$4.83 MWK 8,288

-26.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$14.77 MWK 25.4K

121.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$9.16 MWK 15.7K

-45.96%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.63 MWK 4,509

3.04%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.81 MWK 1,385

65.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.49 MWK 849

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.19 MWK 2,044

145.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.85 MWK 4,896

38.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.96 MWK 1,651

88.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.30 MWK 2,237

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.04 MWK 3,507

-43.14%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.75 MWK 3,010

40.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$3.49 MWK 6,000

321.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$5.57 MWK 9,567

-22.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$6.09 MWK 10.4K

99.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.27 MWK 3,903

69.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.33 MWK 4,000

-33.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.50 MWK 4,287

13.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.06 MWK 1,827

119.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.30 MWK 2,234

46.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.33 MWK 2,277

65.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.33 MWK 567

206.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.81 MWK 1,394

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$2.35 MWK 4,039

41.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$10.81 MWK 18.6K

119.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$0.96 MWK 1,640

190.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$1.65 MWK 2,830

73.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.84 MWK 1,438

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.57 MWK 979

-19.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$2.37 MWK 4,072

-81.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$6.25 MWK 10.7K

-2.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.55 MWK 2,659

-49.03%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$35.6K MWK 61.1M

-26.47%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$39.6K MWK 68.0M

-18.91%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.46 MWK 66.0K

107.85%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$7.76 MWK 13.3K

-47.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$146 MWK 250.2K

-83.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$59.6 MWK 102.3K

65.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$14.88 MWK 25.6K

-55.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$355 MWK 610.0K

-14.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$597 MWK 1.0M

1007.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$45.54 MWK 78.2K

21.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$35.28 MWK 60.6K

8.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$57.7 MWK 99.1K

53.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$70.9 MWK 121.7K

9.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$205 MWK 351.9K

391.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$91.6 MWK 157.3K

637.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$556 MWK 955.0K

518.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$348 MWK 598.0K

485.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$396 MWK 680.6K

471.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$338 MWK 580.6K

-51.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Blantyre: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $205 in Blantyre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Blantyre pays 105% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $15.00 in Blantyre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $182 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

Ubud, Bali vs Blantyre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Blantyre differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $759 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Blantyre earns 105% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $205 in Blantyre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $759 in Blantyre – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $759 in Blantyre versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Blantyre but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. 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, Ubud, Bali 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 87% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.