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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $603 in Blantyre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,033 in Blantyre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,463 in Blantyre.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 132% more expensive than in Blantyre, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Blantyre is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$4.08 MWK 6,999

-17.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$13.16 MWK 22.6K

193.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$6.93 MWK 11.9K

-20.35%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.76 MWK 4,731

-4.35%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.84 MWK 1,436

98.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.48 MWK 827

60.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$1.05 MWK 1,807

150.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$1.80 MWK 3,092

137.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.02 MWK 1,747

51.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.32 MWK 2,269

68.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$2.01 MWK 3,458

-43.78%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.66 MWK 2,848

25.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$3.62 MWK 6,218

380.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$5.67 MWK 9,744

-31.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$6.42 MWK 11.0K

95.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.19 MWK 3,755

65.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$2.37 MWK 4,065

-34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$2.41 MWK 4,138

-2.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.06 MWK 1,826

94.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.30 MWK 2,231

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.30 MWK 2,232

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.33 MWK 572

212.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.82 MWK 1,411

-32.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$2.33 MWK 3,996

-3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$13.73 MWK 23.6K

73.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$0.88 MWK 1,519

162.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.57 MWK 2,703

78.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.51 MWK 876

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$0.58 MWK 991

-17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.49 MWK 2,552

-69.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$3.88 MWK 6,663

47.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.56 MWK 2,683

-51.28%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

-29.59%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$38.6K MWK 66.3M

-16.82%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$26.69 MWK 45.8K

213.04%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$8.10 MWK 13.9K

-20.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$59.2 MWK 101.7K

-5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$15.09 MWK 25.9K

23.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$390 MWK 670.1K

24.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$591 MWK 1.0M

890.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$43.09 MWK 74.0K

5.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$39.41 MWK 67.7K

-7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$49.53 MWK 85.0K

65.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$69.1 MWK 118.6K

16.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$232 MWK 398.3K

381.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$116 MWK 199.2K

504.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$609 MWK 1.0M

480.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$387 MWK 664.0K

355.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$393 MWK 675.1K

482.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$333 MWK 571.7K

-49.01%

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 Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Blantyre: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $232 in Blantyre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Blantyre pays 96% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $13.00 in Blantyre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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

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

Ubud, Bali and Blantyre differ by about 132% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $603 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 96% 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $232 in Blantyre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $603 in Blantyre – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $603 in Blantyre versus $1,396 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 132% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.