Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chikwawa and Lilongwe

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Cost of Living Index in Lilongwe
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Lilongwe Living Index

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Chikwawa

🇲🇼 Malawi

/mo nomad

Lilongwe

🇲🇼 Malawi

$641

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.98 MWK 8,555

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.36 MWK 59.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 MWK 17.4K

Cappuccino

$3.29 MWK 5,654

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MWK 2,109

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MWK 1,026

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MWK 3,850

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MWK 6,875

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MWK 2,204

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MWK 3,145

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MWK 3,005

Eggs

$2.88 MWK 4,952

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.02 MWK 27.5K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 MWK 8,746

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.92 MWK 6,735

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 MWK 4,370

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MWK 2,083

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 MWK 2,501

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MWK 3,809

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MWK 3,546

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MWK 1,700

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MWK 1,763

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 MWK 4,072

Wine (Bottle)

$23.72 MWK 40.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MWK 2,042

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 MWK 4,412

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MWK 1,551

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.28 MWK 7,341

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 MWK 4,355

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 MWK 3,776

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MWK 2,679

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$45.36 MWK 77.9K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.62 MWK 20.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 MWK 103.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.44 MWK 52.3K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$350 MWK 601.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 MWK 933.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.6 MWK 147.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 MWK 992.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 MWK 1.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$370 MWK 635.2K

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chikwawa: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Chikwawa

–

Lilongwe

$251 * 39.1%

Eating Out

Chikwawa

–

Lilongwe

$136 21.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chikwawa

–

Lilongwe

$117 18.3%

Accommodation & Living

Chikwawa

–

Lilongwe

$86 13.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Chikwawa

–

Lilongwe

$30 * 4.8%

Getting Around

Chikwawa

–

Lilongwe

$21 * 3.2%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇲🇼 Chikwawa

🇲🇼 Lilongwe

🕒 Local time

12:49 12:49 PM

Same time as Chikwawa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,987

781,538 Capital

💱 Currency

Malawian Kwacha MWK MK

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MWK = 5.82 USD

10,000 MWK = 5.18 EUR

10,000 MWK = 5.82 USD

10,000 MWK = 5.18 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chikwawa vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Chikwawa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lilongwe, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Chikwawa wins on affordability, Lilongwe on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.