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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $582 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,135 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,688 in Lilongwe.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 294% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Lilongwe is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$5.03 MWK 8,636

221.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$32.03 MWK 55.0K

97.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

0.49%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.11 MWK 5,340

-9.00%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.98 MWK 1,690

133.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.38 MWK 656

315.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.78 MWK 3,058

91.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$4.05 MWK 6,952

-0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.96 MWK 1,646

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.25 MWK 2,150

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.67 MWK 2,876

5.39%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.70 MWK 4,631

17.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$15.86 MWK 27.2K

-16.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.26 MWK 5,596

144.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$3.94 MWK 6,772

294.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.63 MWK 4,512

-9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.02 MWK 1,753

67.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.53 MWK 2,624

31.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.52 MWK 2,605

59.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.40 MWK 2,412

25.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.26 MWK 2,168

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.60 MWK 1,038

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.56 MWK 2,686

321.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$14.62 MWK 25.1K

-61.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.09 MWK 1,873

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.89 MWK 3,244

57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.96 MWK 1,643

137.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$4.43 MWK 7,603

933.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.58 MWK 4,423

-68.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$2.15 MWK 3,687

757.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.63 MWK 2,794

27.61%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

$44.81 MWK 76.9K

230.40%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

73.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$61.3 MWK 105.2K

-35.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$38.14 MWK 65.5K

25.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$3.87 MWK 6,643

138.24%

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

$616 €540

$354 MWK 608.6K

73.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,365 MWK 4.1M

595.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$66.9 MWK 114.8K

1742.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$270 MWK 463.8K

1047.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$548 MWK 941.5K

270.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$271 MWK 464.9K

493.60%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 494% 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 $267 vs $201 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 294% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 494% 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 33% 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 $582 in Lilongwe versus $2,291 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 294% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.