Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lilongwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lilongwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $581 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,129 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,676 in Lilongwe.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 280% more expensive than Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Lilongwe is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$4.97 MWK 8,539

220.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$32.48 MWK 55.8K

99.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

2.34%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.12 MWK 5,349

-8.01%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.90 MWK 1,540

148.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.38 MWK 656

294.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.69 MWK 2,897

106.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.92 MWK 6,723

-1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.93 MWK 1,599

22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.20 MWK 2,057

45.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.69 MWK 2,910

4.14%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.69 MWK 4,627

19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$16.01 MWK 27.5K

-15.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.17 MWK 5,446

149.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$4.00 MWK 6,874

296.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.61 MWK 4,483

-11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.97 MWK 1,667

75.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.54 MWK 2,644

30.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.56 MWK 2,680

57.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.33 MWK 2,285

38.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.26 MWK 2,163

58.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.65 MWK 1,117

21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$1.62 MWK 2,789

308.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$14.37 MWK 24.7K

-60.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.05 MWK 1,796

30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.89 MWK 3,240

57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.96 MWK 1,651

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$4.26 MWK 7,322

969.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.53 MWK 4,341

-67.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$2.19 MWK 3,767

735.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.65 MWK 2,830

24.85%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

$44.67 MWK 76.7K

231.03%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$11.56 MWK 19.9K

77.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$62.5 MWK 107.4K

-36.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$37.37 MWK 64.2K

28.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$4.05 MWK 6,949

126.67%

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

$614 €529

$350 MWK 601.1K

75.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$2,340 MWK 4.0M

585.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$68.2 MWK 117.0K

1741.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$272 MWK 467.6K

1012.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$554 MWK 952.0K

264.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$279 MWK 479.5K

474.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 474% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $200 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

Lisbon vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 280% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 474% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Lisbon. 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $581 in Lilongwe versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lilongwe but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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 Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Lilongwe 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 280% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.