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: $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,048 in Lviv.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in Lilongwe versus $1,581 in Lviv.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,675 in Lilongwe versus $2,113 in Lviv.

Living in Lilongwe costs roughly 44% less than in Lviv, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lilongwe 57% lower, Lviv 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 MWK 8,607

$6.84 ₴306

-26.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

$36.16 ₴1,618

-10.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

$6.85 ₴306

51.39%

Cappuccino

$3.05 MWK 5,239

$2.15 ₴96.0

41.86%

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

$1.48 MWK 2,545

$1.26 ₴56.4

17.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MWK 599

$1.32 ₴59.1

-73.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 MWK 3,385

$2.48 ₴111

-20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MWK 6,837

$3.08 ₴138

29.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 MWK 1,609

$1.23 ₴55.2

-23.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MWK 2,351

$0.85 ₴38.20

61.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MWK 2,915

$1.75 ₴78.4

-2.86%

Eggs

$2.98 MWK 5,124

$2.15 ₴96.2

38.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

$9.01 ₴403

71.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 MWK 5,447

$4.74 ₴212

-33.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 MWK 6,958

$7.82 ₴350

-48.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 MWK 4,376

$1.35 ₴60.2

88.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 MWK 2,109

$1.65 ₴73.8

-25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 MWK 2,607

$1.84 ₴82.1

-17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 MWK 3,007

$2.72 ₴122

-35.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 MWK 3,136

$0.80 ₴35.70

128.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MWK 2,409

$0.52 ₴23.14

169.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ₴60.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MWK 925

$0.52 ₴23.39

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 MWK 2,699

$3.07 ₴138

-48.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

$6.34 ₴284

127.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MWK 1,800

$0.93 ₴41.64

12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MWK 3,299

$1.52 ₴68.1

26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 MWK 1,636

$0.58 ₴25.81

63.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.22 MWK 7,238

$20.30 ₴908

-79.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₴134

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MWK 4,563

$0.32 ₴14.50

731.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MWK 3,611

$4.36 ₴195

-51.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MWK 2,724

$1.62 ₴72.7

-1.85%

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

$30.0K ₴1.3M

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

$25.5K ₴1.1M

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

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

$86.5 ₴3,871

-47.42%

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

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

$6.09 ₴272

93.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

$7.51 ₴336

721.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

$31.71 ₴1,418

15.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.24 ₴637

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 ₴215

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

$349 MWK 600.0K

$333 ₴14.9K

4.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

$7,191 ₴321.7K

-67.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 ₴3,715

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.94 ₴1,965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 ₴4,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₴4,520

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 ₴22.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

$417 ₴18.6K

-83.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 MWK 459.8K

$933 ₴41.7K

-71.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 MWK 963.0K

$614 ₴27.5K

-8.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,046 ₴91.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,268 ₴56.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 MWK 480.4K

$646 ₴28.9K

-56.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

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

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lviv: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lviv pays 131% 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 $36.00 in Lviv. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $184, with Lviv cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 131% lower in Lviv. 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 11% 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 $36.00 in Lviv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,048 in Lviv, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lilongwe but tight or insufficient in Lviv. The gap between the two cities makes Lilongwe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 79% less than in Lviv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.