Cost of Living Comparison Between Lilongwe and Weifang Cost of Living Comparison Between Lilongwe and Weifang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $586 in Lilongwe versus $563 in Weifang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in Lilongwe versus $889 in Weifang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,675 in Lilongwe versus $1,216 in Weifang.

Living in Lilongwe is roughly 4% more expensive than in Weifang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lilongwe 57% lower, Weifang 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 MWK 8,607

$2.55 ¥17.10

96.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

$14.62 ¥98.0

120.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

$4.80 ¥32.19

116.04%

Cappuccino

$3.05 MWK 5,239

$2.58 ¥17.30

18.22%

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

$1.48 MWK 2,545

$0.48 ¥3.22

208.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MWK 599

$0.23 ¥1.55

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 MWK 3,385

$0.93 ¥6.26

111.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MWK 6,837

$2.04 ¥13.70

95.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 MWK 1,609

$1.52 ¥10.22

-38.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MWK 2,351

$1.24 ¥8.29

10.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MWK 2,915

$0.87 ¥5.86

95.40%

Eggs

$2.98 MWK 5,124

$1.19 ¥8.00

150.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

$11.84 ¥79.3

30.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 MWK 5,447

$2.76 ¥18.48

14.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 MWK 6,958

$8.42 ¥56.4

-51.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 MWK 4,376

$1.03 ¥6.89

147.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 MWK 2,109

$0.86 ¥5.79

43.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 MWK 2,607

$1.94 ¥12.98

-21.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 MWK 3,007

$0.66 ¥4.43

165.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 MWK 3,136

$0.48 ¥3.24

281.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MWK 2,409

$0.46 ¥3.10

204.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.61

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MWK 925

$0.62 ¥4.13

-12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 MWK 2,699

$3.61 ¥24.20

-56.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

$10.22 ¥68.5

41.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MWK 1,800

$0.63 ¥4.20

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MWK 3,299

$1.07 ¥7.18

79.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 MWK 1,636

$0.23 ¥1.55

313.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.22 MWK 7,238

$7.62 ¥51.0

-44.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ¥6.36

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MWK 4,563

$0.26 ¥1.73

923.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MWK 3,611

$4.42 ¥29.60

-52.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MWK 2,724

$1.16 ¥7.78

37.07%

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

$12.7K ¥85.3K

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

$15.0K ¥100.6K

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

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

$67.0 ¥449

-32.05%

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

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

$6.59 ¥44.18

78.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

$7.23 ¥48.46

752.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

$29.77 ¥199

23.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.12 ¥101

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 ¥30.43

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

$349 MWK 600.0K

$189 ¥1,263

85.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

$19.8K ¥132.7K

-88.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.80 ¥146

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 ¥281

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ¥471

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ¥464

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 ¥900

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

$95.3 ¥638

-28.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 MWK 459.8K

$328 ¥2,199

-18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 MWK 963.0K

$206 ¥1,381

172.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,469 ¥9,845

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,018 ¥33.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 MWK 480.4K

$630 ¥4,220

-55.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

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

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Last update for Weifang: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Weifang pays 125% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Lilongwe vs $15.00 in Weifang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $169 per month, with Weifang 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 Weifang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Weifang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in Weifang. 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 20% higher in Lilongwe. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Weifang – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $32.00 in Lilongwe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Weifang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Lilongwe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.