Kenya vs Malawi: Life expectancy

Kenya
62.68 years
in 2020
Malawi
63.72 years
in 2020
Kenya rank
137th
Malawi rank
134th

Life expectancy over time

  • Kenya
  • Malawi
0204060187019452020

How they compare

Malawi currently reports 63.72 years against 62.68 years in Kenya, a difference of 1.04 years.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 24 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Malawi ahead.

Kenya ranks 137th and Malawi ranks 134th of 162 countries.

Across the 15 decades both report, Kenya averaged higher in 7 and Malawi in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade Kenya Malawi Difference Ahead
1870s 25 years 25 years 0 years
1880s 25 years 25 years 0 years
1890s 25 years 25 years 0 years
1900s 25 years 25 years 0 years
1910s 25 years 25 years 0 years
1920s 25 years 26.94 years 1.94 years Malawi
1930s 26 years 31.89 years 5.89 years Malawi
1950s 42.23 years 36.7 years 5.52 years Kenya
1960s 46.2 years 38.51 years 7.7 years Kenya
1970s 51.2 years 41.29 years 9.91 years Kenya
1980s 58.52 years 45.71 years 12.81 years Kenya
1990s 57.12 years 43.48 years 13.63 years Kenya
2000s 55.88 years 48.28 years 7.6 years Kenya
2010s 61.27 years 58.88 years 2.39 years Kenya
2020s 62.68 years 63.72 years 1.04 years Malawi

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher life expectancy, Kenya or Malawi?
Malawi, at 63.72 years against 62.68 years in Kenya as of 2020.
What is the difference in life expectancy between Kenya and Malawi?
1.04 years, with Malawi ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Kenya and Malawi?
24 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Kenya and Malawi rank globally for life expectancy?
Kenya ranks 137th and Malawi ranks 134th of 162 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Life expectancy. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Kenya vs Malawi: Life expectancy. Statizoid, drawing on Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/life-expectancy-prados-de-la-escosura/kenya/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy
Unit
years
Source
Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
163 places, 3,421 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed

Average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates in the current year were to stay the same throughout its life.