BLANTYRE -- The September cost of living for Malawi’s capital Lilongwe, Mzuzu and old capital Zomba has gone up since August this year, a welfare monitoring survey has revealed. The Basic Needs Basket (BNB) survey conducted by the Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) shows that the total basic needs basket for the Lilongwe averaged K85, 997, Zomba K68,417, Blantyre K76,643 and Mzuzu K73,670.

Judging by last months report, all cities save for Blantyre have registered an increase. The BNB monthly report looks at the cost of food and non food items such as maize, beans, charcoal, utility bills and housing rentals, among others.

Lilongwe’s average BNB has increased by 8.5 percent, up from K79,286 to K85,997, Zomba 2.4 percent from K66,787 to K68,417, Mzuzu 2.6 percent from K71,798 to K73,670 while Blantyre decreased by 5.8 percent, down from K81, 363 to K76,643 in the month of September.

The report also shows that the decline in cost of living for Blantyre is due to a decline in the food basket which has gone down by about 9 percent from K45,019 to K40,953 whereas the non-food basket has declined by 1.9 percent from K36,344 to K35,690.

Add attachment