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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $747 in Blantyre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,183 in Blantyre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,618 in Blantyre.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 89% more expensive than in Blantyre, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Blantyre is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$5.01 MWK 8,598

-31.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$14.89 MWK 25.6K

117.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$8.88 MWK 15.2K

-45.50%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.61 MWK 4,490

5.36%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.85 MWK 1,456

62.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.53 MWK 910

41.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.19 MWK 2,041

151.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.94 MWK 5,046

30.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$0.94 MWK 1,615

85.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.24 MWK 2,133

98.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.98 MWK 3,391

-40.91%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.75 MWK 3,010

38.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$3.65 MWK 6,270

297.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$5.51 MWK 9,453

-21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$6.24 MWK 10.7K

91.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.14 MWK 3,681

73.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.37 MWK 4,061

-31.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$2.39 MWK 4,107

14.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.10 MWK 1,884

103.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.36 MWK 2,343

41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.31 MWK 2,258

74.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.31 MWK 526

241.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.84 MWK 1,435

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.30 MWK 3,954

43.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$10.74 MWK 18.4K

115.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$0.91 MWK 1,563

205.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$1.64 MWK 2,816

66.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.88 MWK 1,515

-69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.61 MWK 1,039

-21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$2.50 MWK 4,287

-83.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$6.07 MWK 10.4K

2.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.59 MWK 2,739

-49.06%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

-23.45%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$39.5K MWK 67.9M

-18.60%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$37.42 MWK 64.3K

109.38%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$8.14 MWK 14.0K

-50.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$148 MWK 253.8K

-83.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$60.0 MWK 103.0K

64.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$14.60 MWK 25.1K

-56.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$361 MWK 619.1K

-15.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$597 MWK 1.0M

1013.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$45.00 MWK 77.3K

20.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$34.22 MWK 58.8K

10.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$59.1 MWK 101.5K

46.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$69.3 MWK 118.9K

10.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$200 MWK 343.2K

396.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$89.3 MWK 153.3K

653.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$542 MWK 931.4K

522.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$353 MWK 606.9K

480.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$400 MWK 686.8K

456.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$339 MWK 582.7K

-50.80%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Blantyre: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $200 in Blantyre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Blantyre pays 103% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $15.00 in Blantyre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $181 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 89% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $747 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 103% lower in Blantyre. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $200 in Blantyre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $747 in Blantyre – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $747 in Blantyre versus $1,408 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 89% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.