Cost of Living Comparison Between Lilongwe and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lilongwe and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in Lilongwe versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,675 in Lilongwe versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Lilongwe costs roughly 66% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lilongwe is 57% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 MWK 8,607

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-37.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-33.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

$9.77 COP 30.5K

6.14%

Cappuccino

$3.05 MWK 5,239

$2.91 COP 9,095

4.81%

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

$1.48 MWK 2,545

$1.94 COP 6,074

-23.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MWK 599

$1.52 COP 4,754

-76.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 MWK 3,385

$3.09 COP 9,663

-36.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MWK 6,837

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-30.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 MWK 1,609

$1.36 COP 4,262

-30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MWK 2,351

$2.39 COP 7,460

-42.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MWK 2,915

$1.70 COP 5,314

Eggs

$2.98 MWK 5,124

$2.87 COP 8,967

3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

$9.94 COP 31.1K

55.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 MWK 5,447

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-70.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 MWK 6,958

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-72.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 MWK 4,376

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-37.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 MWK 2,109

$1.57 COP 4,911

-21.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 MWK 2,607

$2.13 COP 6,642

-28.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 MWK 3,007

$2.21 COP 6,917

-20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 MWK 3,136

$2.05 COP 6,396

-10.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MWK 2,409

$1.50 COP 4,700

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MWK 925

$1.16 COP 3,619

-53.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 MWK 2,699

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-59.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MWK 1,800

$1.58 COP 4,948

-33.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MWK 3,299

$2.83 COP 8,836

-32.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 MWK 1,636

$1.17 COP 3,650

-18.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.22 MWK 7,238

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-94.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MWK 4,563

$2.09 COP 6,537

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MWK 3,611

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-75.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MWK 2,724

$1.30 COP 4,056

22.31%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

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

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

$176 COP 550.1K

-74.16%

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

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-11.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

$29.89 COP 93.4K

106.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

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

$349 MWK 600.0K

$793 COP 2.5M

-55.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-74.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

$680 COP 2.1M

-90.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 MWK 459.8K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-86.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 MWK 963.0K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-52.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 MWK 480.4K

$665 COP 2.1M

-57.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 138% 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 $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $303 per month, with Lilongwe 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 193% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 138% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lilongwe – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lilongwe but tight or insufficient in Medellin. 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 Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Lilongwe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 193% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.