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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $586 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,131 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,675 in Lilongwe.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 295% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Lilongwe is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$5.01 MWK 8,607

245.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

96.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

9.84%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$3.05 MWK 5,239

4.59%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.48 MWK 2,545

65.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.35 MWK 599

402.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.97 MWK 3,385

82.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.98 MWK 6,837

-14.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.94 MWK 1,609

31.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.37 MWK 2,351

44.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.70 MWK 2,915

-10.59%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$2.98 MWK 5,124

35.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

-12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$3.17 MWK 5,447

164.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$4.05 MWK 6,958

350.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.55 MWK 4,376

-10.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.23 MWK 2,109

41.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.52 MWK 2,607

22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.75 MWK 3,007

50.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.83 MWK 3,136

4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.40 MWK 2,409

49.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.54 MWK 925

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$1.57 MWK 2,699

331.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

-60.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.05 MWK 1,800

31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.92 MWK 3,299

15.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.95 MWK 1,636

152.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$4.22 MWK 7,238

1008.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.66 MWK 4,563

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$2.10 MWK 3,611

741.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.59 MWK 2,724

45.91%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.7K

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

$170 €147

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

274.35%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

64.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

-45.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

30.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

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

$717 €617

$349 MWK 600.0K

105.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

648.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

1778.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$268 MWK 459.8K

1014.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$561 MWK 963.0K

255.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$280 MWK 480.4K

465.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 466% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $204 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 295% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 466% higher in Lisbon, 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 39% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $586 in Lilongwe versus $2,316 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 295% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.