Cost of Living Comparison Between Lilongwe and Lviv Cost of Living Comparison Between Lilongwe and Lviv

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $581 in Lilongwe versus $910 in Lviv.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,129 in Lilongwe versus $1,366 in Lviv.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,676 in Lilongwe versus $1,823 in Lviv.

Living in Lilongwe costs roughly 36% less than in Lviv, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lilongwe 57% lower, Lviv 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 MWK 8,539

$7.36 ₴326

-32.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 MWK 55.8K

$28.54 ₴1,266

13.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

$5.36 ₴238

91.60%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MWK 5,349

$1.56 ₴69.0

100.00%

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

$0.90 MWK 1,540

$0.59 ₴26.32

52.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MWK 656

$0.43 ₴18.98

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 MWK 2,897

$1.36 ₴60.3

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MWK 6,723

$1.73 ₴76.6

126.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 MWK 1,599

$1.07 ₴47.40

-13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MWK 2,057

$0.72 ₴32.03

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MWK 2,910

$1.57 ₴69.6

7.64%

Eggs

$2.69 MWK 4,627

$1.81 ₴80.3

48.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.01 MWK 27.5K

$8.30 ₴368

92.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 MWK 5,446

$4.23 ₴187

-25.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 MWK 6,874

$7.41 ₴328

-46.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MWK 4,483

$0.92 ₴40.89

183.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 MWK 1,667

$1.45 ₴64.3

-33.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 MWK 2,644

$1.59 ₴70.7

-3.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MWK 2,680

$2.18 ₴96.7

-28.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MWK 2,285

$0.71 ₴31.61

87.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 MWK 2,163

$0.57 ₴25.31

121.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₴56.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MWK 1,117

$0.53 ₴23.68

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.62 MWK 2,789

$2.52 ₴112

-35.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 MWK 24.7K

$6.07 ₴269

136.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MWK 1,796

$0.77 ₴34.10

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MWK 3,240

$1.36 ₴60.3

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 MWK 1,651

$0.57 ₴25.31

68.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.26 MWK 7,322

$9.96 ₴442

-57.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 ₴127

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 MWK 4,341

$0.23 ₴10.14

1000.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 MWK 3,767

$4.25 ₴189

-48.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 MWK 2,830

$1.40 ₴62.1

17.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.9K ₴1.4M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ₴995.7K

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

$44.67 MWK 76.7K

$85.6 ₴3,797

-47.83%

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

$11.56 MWK 19.9K

$5.03 ₴223

129.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 MWK 107.4K

$6.20 ₴275

908.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.37 MWK 64.2K

$26.97 ₴1,196

38.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.86 ₴437

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 MWK 6,949

$4.76 ₴211

-14.92%

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

$350 MWK 601.1K

$294 ₴13.0K

19.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,340 MWK 4.0M

$6,266 ₴277.9K

-62.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ₴2,638

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.79 ₴1,543

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 ₴4,369

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 ₴3,952

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ₴21.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.2 MWK 117.0K

$344 ₴15.2K

-80.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 MWK 467.6K

$819 ₴36.3K

-66.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 MWK 952.0K

$542 ₴24.0K

2.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,003 ₴88.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,267 ₴56.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 MWK 479.5K

$623 ₴27.6K

-55.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Lilongwe: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lviv: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lviv pays 123% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Lilongwe vs $29.00 in Lviv for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $164 per month, with Lviv cheaper across the board.

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

Lilongwe vs Lviv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lviv earns 123% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Lviv pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Lilongwe – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $29.00 in Lviv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Lilongwe gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Lilongwe and Lviv are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lilongwe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Lviv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.