Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Malawi instead of Ghana, you would:

Health

live 3.1 years longer

In Ghana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022. In Malawi, that number is 72 years (69 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022.

be 46.8% less likely to be obese

In Ghana, 10.9% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Malawi, that number is 5.8% of people as of 2016.

be 4.8 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Ghana, 1.7% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2020.

Economy

make 74.6% less money

Ghana has a GDP per capita of $6,700 as of 2023, while in Malawi, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

be 63.6% more likely to be unemployed

In Ghana, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Malawi, that number is 5.0% as of 2023.

be 2.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Ghana, 23.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Malawi, however, that number is 50.7% as of 2019.

pay a 20.0% higher top tax rate

Ghana has a top tax rate of 25.0% as of 2016. In Malawi, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 44.9% more likely to die during childbirth

In Ghana, approximately 263.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Malawi, 381.0 women do as of 2020.

be 14.8% less likely to be literate

In Ghana, the literacy rate is 79.0% as of 2018. In Malawi, it is 67.3% as of 2021.

Basic Needs

be 83.5% less likely to have access to electricity

In Ghana, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Malawi, that number is 14% of people on average (54% in urban areas, and 6% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 64.7% less likely to have internet access

In Ghana, approximately 68.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Malawi, about 24.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 27.5% less on education

Ghana spends 4.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2018. Malawi spends 2.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 35.0% more on healthcare

Ghana spends 4.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 5.4% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, Ghana Revenue Authority.

Malawi: At a glance

Malawi is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 94,080 sq km. Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009. He oversaw some economic improvement in his first term, but was accused of economic mismanagement and poor governance in his second term. He died abruptly in April 2012 and was succeeded by his vice president, Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party (PP). Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.
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