Daily cost of a healthy diet in Malawi
Malawi: Daily cost of a healthy diet was 4.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day in 2024. ▲ Rising
Daily cost of a healthy diet in Malawi, 2017–2024
Source: FAO and World Bank (2025), using data and methods from Herforth et al. (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 4.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day for daily cost of a healthy diet in 2024. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is up 8.2% on the previous year and up 95.0% over ten years.
Malawi ranks 69th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 2.56 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day | 2.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day | 2.77 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day | 3 |
| 2020s | 3.87 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day | 3.1 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day | 4.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 66 Colombia 4.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day compare
- 66 Namibia 4.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day compare
- 66 Uzbekistan 4.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day compare
- 69 Gabon 4.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day compare
- 69 Sao Tome and Principe 4.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day compare
- 72 Costa Rica 4.62 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day compare
More health data for Malawi
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 193,780 (2025)
- Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 198,476 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 200,046 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 204,753 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 207,829 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 212,512 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is daily cost of a healthy diet in Malawi?
- Daily cost of a healthy diet in Malawi was 4.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day in 2024, according to FAO and World Bank (2025), using data and methods from Herforth et al. (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest daily cost of a healthy diet recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 4.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day in 2024.
- What is the lowest daily cost of a healthy diet recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per person per day in 2017.
- How does Malawi rank for daily cost of a healthy diet?
- Malawi ranks 69th out of 174 countries with data for 2024.
- Is daily cost of a healthy diet rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 95.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from FAO and World Bank (2025), using data and methods from Herforth et al. (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Daily cost of a healthy diet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Cost of purchasing the least expensive locally available foods to meet requirements for energy and food-based dietary guidelines, for a representative person within energy balance at 2,330 kcal/day. This data is adjusted for inflation and for differences in the cost of living between countries.