Restaurants in Malawi
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
3.76$ |
5.81$ – 12.52$ |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
36.72$ |
15.29$ – 70.63$ |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
7.49$ |
8.92$ – 10.05$ |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) |
2.95$ |
2.95$ – 4.43$ |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) |
3.62$ |
2.9$ – 4.86$ |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
4.73$ |
2.76$ – 6.81$ |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) |
0.1$ |
1.67$ – 3.9$ |
| Water (0.33 liter bottle) |
1.45$ |
3.38$ – 2.93$ |
Markets in Malawi
| Milk (regular), (1 liter) |
0.82$ |
1.86$ – 3.43$ |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) |
4.29$ |
2.86$ – 2.43$ |
| Rice (white), (1kg) |
3.56$ |
2.95$ – 4.62$ |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
5.93$ |
2.37$ – 6.62$ |
| Local Cheese (1kg) |
12.43$ |
2$ – 2$ |
| Chicken Fillets (1kg) |
6.86$ |
3.01$ – 7.67$ |
| Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
7.76$ |
6.81$ – 8.19$ |
| Apples (1kg) |
5.3$ |
4.01$ – 4.62$ |
| Banana (1kg) |
4.76$ |
2.95$ – 3.38$ |
| Oranges (1kg) |
0.33$ |
3$ – 3$ |
| Tomato (1kg) |
2.29$ |
2.76$ – 2.9$ |
| Potato (1kg) |
2.73$ |
3.76$ – 4.33$ |
| Onion (1kg) |
0.37$ |
3.95$ – 3.71$ |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
1$ |
1$ – 2$ |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1.57$ |
2.1$ – 1.76$ |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
12.29$ |
6.71$ – 17.19$ |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1.95$ |
1.76$ – 2.43$ |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) |
3.1$ |
2.71$ – 3.86$ |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
0.55$ |
2.72$ – 5.38$ |
Transportation in Malawi
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
3.95$ |
3.95$ – 3.95$ |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
3$ |
3$ – 3$ |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
3$ |
2$ – 1$ |
| Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) |
0.14$ |
3.9$ – 4.38$ |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
2.71$ |
6.76$ – 7.67$ |
| Gasoline (1 liter) |
1.25$ |
3.31$ – 4.1$ |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
34289.69$ |
3$ – 1$ |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
38098.33$ |
2$ – 3$ |
Utilities (Monthly) in Malawi
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment |
36.1$ |
2$ – 3$ |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
3$ |
3$ – 3$ |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
116.46$ |
60.14$ – 239.1$ |
Sports And Leisure in Malawi
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
43.86$ |
3$ – 3$ |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
3$ |
3$ – 3$ |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
3.01$ |
3$ – 1$ |
Childcare in Malawi
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
350.39$ |
231.58$ – 479.2$ |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
2287.78$ |
1$ – 2$ |
Clothing And Shoes in Malawi
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
43.27$ |
31.57$ – 60.14$ |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, …) |
45.86$ |
22.05$ – 68.67$ |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
51.38$ |
43.86$ – 58.14$ |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
68.08$ |
40.1$ – 81.95$ |
Rent Per Month in Malawi
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
221.23$ |
143.86$ – 286.72$ |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
138.51$ |
77.19$ – 191.48$ |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
590.32$ |
429.58$ – 763.93$ |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
381.96$ |
239.1$ – 478.2$ |
Buy Apartment Price in Malawi
| Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
10496.1$ |
4765.04$ – 16236.16$ |
| Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
570.44$ |
2$ – 2$ |
Salaries And Financing in Malawi
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
485.9$ |
1$ – 1$ |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate |
16.5$ |
18$ – 23$ |
These data are based on 3456 entries in the past 18 months from 488 different contributors.
Last update: August 2023
Our data for each country is based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Cost Of Living in Malawi in 2023
The cost of living in Malawi has been on the rise in recent years. Housing costs in major cities like Lilongwe are quite high, with the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment being around 143$ – 286$. Food prices have also increased, with a standard basket of groceries for a family of four now costing about 900$ per month. Transportation can take a bite out of the average household’s budget too, with bus and metro tickets costing 3$ – 3$ per ride on average. However, some costs are more affordable in Malawi, like healthcare which is heavily subsidized. The monthly energy bill for an average sized house comes out to only 2$ – 3$. While salaries have increased moderately, the overall cost of living in Malawi still remains relatively high compared to other places. People moving here should factor the rising cost of living into their budgets.
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Cost Of Living Rates & Safety Index in Malawi