How Malawi compares across key indices
Cost of Living
29 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
83/100
Healthcare
45/100
Quality of Life
93/200
How far your money goes in Malawi
Cost of Living
29
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
22
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
29
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
30
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in Malawi - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
83/100
Crime Index
25/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
Malawi has 23 cities with Freedom Abroad estimates. Monthly costs for a single person range from $571 in Salima to $742 in Lilongwe. Zomba leads on safety, scoring 85/100. Mangochi ranks highest for quality of life at 100/200.
Salima
$571/mo
Zomba
85/100
Mangochi
100/200
Lilongwe
56/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lilongwe | $742 | 78/100 | 97/200 | 56/100 | 55 |
| Blantyre | $659 | 81/100 | 98/200 | 51/100 | 51 |
| Mzuzu | $620 | 84/100 | 99/200 | 46/100 | 46 |
| Zomba | $598 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 44/100 | 43 |
| Karonga | $582 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 42/100 | 41 |
| Kasungu | $580 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 42/100 | 41 |
| Mangochi | $577 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 42/100 | 40 |
| Salima | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Liwonde | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Balaka | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Dedza | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Nkhotakota | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Mchinji | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Nsanje | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Mzimba | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Mponela | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Rumphi | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Ntcheu | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Mwanza | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Chitipa | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Monkey Bay | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Mulanje | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
| Nkhata Bay | $571 | 85/100 | 100/200 | 41/100 | 39 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Malawi. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
28
Verified records
6
Cities covered
4
Credential signals
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
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International curriculum
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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International curriculum
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
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Lilongwe
Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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International curriculum
Tuition
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Lilongwe
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Lilongwe
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
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Zomba
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
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School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for Malawi
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Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Malawi
Pollution Index
47/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
23.7ug/m3
Moderate
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Malawi, answered with data
Malawi has a cost of living index of 29 relative to New York City (100). It is significantly cheaper than the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $598 in Zomba and reach $742 in Lilongwe.
Zomba is the most affordable city in Malawi in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $598 for a single person including rent. Mzuzu is the next most affordable at $620/mo.
Malawi has a safety index of 83/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Zomba scores highest on safety at 85/100.
Zomba ranks highest for quality of life in Malawi, scoring 100/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $598/mo for a single person.
Malawi scores 45/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it adequate by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. Malawi's cost of living is roughly 71% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 78% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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