Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Mali Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Mali

Name: Mali
Address: ML

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,645 in United States versus $249 in Mali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,858 in United States versus $415 in Mali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,071 in United States versus $580 in Mali.

Living in United States is roughly 962% more expensive than Mali on average.

United States (97% above) and Mali (81% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,335 to $5,185, compared to $0–$910 in Mali. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$6.54 F CFA 3,669

210.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$37.26 F CFA 20.9K

97.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$6.37 F CFA 3,577

81.63%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$1.87 F CFA 1,049

185.56%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$0.79 F CFA 442

216.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.56 F CFA 312

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.35 F CFA 1,320

153.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$21.40 F CFA 12.0K

-67.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.32 F CFA 1,300

-53.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.36 F CFA 1,883

5.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$4.63 F CFA 2,596

-7.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 $13.05

$17.57 F CFA 9,860

-25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$16.93 F CFA 9,499

-27.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.03 $16.03

$13.51 F CFA 7,582

18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.19 F CFA 1,789

67.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.41 F CFA 794

21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.90 F CFA 1,627

56.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.39 F CFA 1,341

107.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.65 F CFA 926

76.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.83 F CFA 1,028

65.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.10 F CFA 54.7

2130.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.35 F CFA 1,321

-3.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$0.94 F CFA 530

977.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.46 F CFA 822

32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.35 F CFA 760

160.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$4.65 F CFA 2,610

-45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 $65.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 $3.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.23 F CFA 689

37.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.19 F CFA 669

-24.37%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

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

$26.4K $26.4K

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

$205 $205

$150 F CFA 83.9K

36.78%

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

$57.2 $57.2

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$57.8 F CFA 32.4K

23.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.76 $45.76

$66.1 F CFA 37.1K

-30.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 $22.31

$3.96 F CFA 2,219

463.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 $13.89

$5.58 F CFA 3,132

148.92%

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

$1,380 $1,380

$77.5 F CFA 43.5K

1681.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K $22.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 $42.81

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 $1,742

$177 F CFA 99.2K

885.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 $1,431

$81.2 F CFA 45.6K

1661.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 $2,864

$414 F CFA 232.1K

592.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,422 $2,422

$306 F CFA 171.5K

692.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,466 $3,466

$9,983 F CFA 5.6M

-65.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$853 F CFA 478.6K

210.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,320 $4,320

$258 F CFA 144.9K

1572.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

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

Last update for United States: April 19, 2026

Last update for Mali: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,634 in United States, $44 in Mali. Capital cities: $2,570 in Washington, DC vs $176 in Bamako.

National salary averages: $4,489 in United States, $266 in Mali. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 3614% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 711% more in United States.

Salaries are 1588% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

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

At $455 per month in Mali and $3,260 in United States, there's a 616% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Mali is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States beats Mali across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but 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; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.