The cost of living for urban Malawian families went up by 13.89 percent in February 2025, pushing the monthly household budget for a family of six to K841,645, exclusive of transport costs.
According to the latest Cost of Living Analysis Report published by Employers Consultative Association of Malawi (Ecam), when transport expenses of K64,000 are included, the total cost jumps to K905,645, representing a 12.78 percent increase from January’s K803,023.
Food prices have been the main driver of the increase, rising by an average of 16.19 percent from K559,002 in January to K649,529 in February.
For example, the price of maize, the country’s staple food, escalated from K75,000 to K95,000 per 50kg bag in just one month.
Beans prices jumped by 57.14 percent, fresh milk packets by 30.03 percent, and rice by 28.57 percent.
“This is attributed to the increased demand for maize amid low supply,” the report states.
The report also reveals that non-food items increased by an average of 6.72 percent, from K180,021 in January to K192,116 in February. Notable increases were seen in matches (43.49 percent), glycerine (42.71 percent), and Vaseline Blue Seal (33.38 percent).
Basic utility costs have not been spared either, with electricity bills rising by 16 percent and charcoal prices by 11.11 percent.
In a recent interview, economist Marvin Banda said it would take consecutive years of stability in both food production and non-food prices for prices to start coming down.
He said food inflation has had a bearing on headline inflation.
“It is also counterintuitive to expect food inflation to remain low when firstly the harvest estimates are projected to fall short of national food requirements by a substantial amount,” Banda said.
Consumers Association of Malawi Executive Director John Kapito said the economy is indeed undergoing serious challenges which continue to push the cost of living up.
He added that while there is no agreed figure, it is necessary to accept that many Malawians have been affected negatively and that poverty among Malawians is now unmanageable.
“There is an urgent need to embark on economic growth reforms such as producing for export, developing our agriculture sector which has considerably collapsed and we need to start doing things rather than talking,” Kapito said.
He added that given the current situation, it would take Malawi a long time to reverse the current economic challenges and Malawians need to have a consensus and agree on what can be done to reverse the current economic situation.
