Cost of living comparison
Malawi is 59.7% more expensive than Laos.
If you lived in Malawi instead of Laos, you would:
pay 59.1% more for restaurants
Laos
|
Malawi
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant |
$1.85
LAK39,303
|
$4.34
MWK7,484.79
|
|
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
|
$4.45
LAK94,418
|
$9.11
MWK15,705.41
|
|
Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) |
$0.78
LAK16,490
|
$0.87
MWK1,508.78
|
|
Bottle of water (11 fl. oz) |
$0.51
LAK10,894
|
$0.43
MWK749.73
|
|
pay 4.8% less for groceries
Laos
|
Malawi
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Bread
1 loaf
|
$1.02
LAK21,597
|
$1.37
MWK2,361.80
|
|
Local cheese (8 oz) |
$14.08
LAK298,926
|
$4.82
MWK8,321.65
|
|
Milk (1 gallon) |
$6.60
LAK140,122
|
$4.53
MWK7,807.58
|
|
Eggs
1 dozen
|
$2.10
LAK44,614
|
$2.31
MWK3,987.53
|
|
Boneless chicken breast (1 lb) |
$2.11
LAK44,712
|
$1.93
MWK3,336.52
|
|
Apples (1 lb) |
$0.90
LAK19,195
|
$1.04
MWK1,790.74
|
|
Bananas (1 lb) |
$0.75
LAK15,994
|
$0.81
MWK1,402.59
|
|
Oranges (1 lb) |
$0.98
LAK20,709
|
$1.13
MWK1,942.75
|
|
Tomatoes (1 lb) |
$1.31
LAK27,811
|
$0.53
MWK912.10
|
|
Potatoes (1 lb) |
$0.71
LAK15,102
|
$0.72
MWK1,244.90
|
|
Onions (1 lb) |
$0.46
LAK9,771
|
$0.59
MWK1,014.84
|
|
pay 2.8% more for transportation
Laos
|
Malawi
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Gasoline (1 gallon) |
$4.65
LAK98,820
|
$6.21
MWK10,708.41
|
|
Monthly public transit pass |
$50.97
LAK1,082,313
|
$4.32
MWK7,454.28
|
|
New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) |
$28,928.24
LAK614,241,011
|
$35,910.51
MWK61,936,725.77
|
|
Taxi trip in downtown area (5 miles) |
$14.15
LAK300,495
|
$20.54
MWK35,427.07
|
|
pay 4.8 times more for housing
Laos
|
Malawi
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
|
$10.22
LAK216,933
|
$187.17
MWK322,827.32
|
|
1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area |
$1,007.60
LAK21,394,665
|
$203.55
MWK351,080.11
|
|
1-Bedroom apartment outside city center |
$818.32
LAK17,375,598
|
$99.20
MWK171,099.55
|
|
Utilities for two
(700 sq ft apartment)
including electric, gas, water, heating
|
$65.45
LAK1,389,630
|
$41.38
MWK71,377.45
|
|
pay 39.4% less for childcare
Laos
|
Malawi
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Private preschool for 1 child, monthly |
$342.92
LAK7,281,267
|
$361.94
MWK624,257.20
|
|
Middle school for 1 child, two semesters |
$9,300.83
LAK197,486,917
|
$1,469.79
MWK2,535,028.38
|
|
pay 23.6% more for entertainment and sports
Laos
|
Malawi
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Domestic/local beer (1 pint) |
$1.15
LAK24,388
|
$1.12
MWK1,937.50
|
|
Cappuccino in mid-range area |
$1.68
LAK35,706
|
$2.92
MWK5,039.34
|
|
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
|
$1.82
LAK38,687
|
$1.59
MWK2,736.38
|
|
Monthly membership at local gym |
$51.00
LAK1,082,856
|
$51.53
MWK88,878.93
|
|
Movie ticket to theater/cinema |
$2.49
LAK52,898
|
$3.95
MWK6,813.73
|
|
pay 5.0% less for clothing
Laos
|
Malawi
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
|
$81.96
LAK1,740,226
|
$45.53
MWK78,527.96
|
|
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
|
$62.33
LAK1,323,399
|
$35.18
MWK60,675.79
|
|
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
|
$58.81
LAK1,248,811
|
$59.57
MWK102,746.69
|
|
Men's business shoes (leather) |
$42.69
LAK906,528
|
$71.18
MWK122,773.94
|
|
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