Cost of Living Comparison Between Lviv and Lilongwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Lviv and Lilongwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Lviv versus $586 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,581 in Lviv versus $1,131 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,113 in Lviv versus $1,675 in Lilongwe.

Living in Lviv is roughly 79% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lviv 24% lower, Lilongwe 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 ₴306

$5.01 MWK 8,607

36.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.16 ₴1,618

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

12.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 ₴306

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

-33.94%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ₴96.0

$3.05 MWK 5,239

-29.51%

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

$1.26 ₴56.4

$1.48 MWK 2,545

-14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₴59.1

$0.35 MWK 599

277.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ₴111

$1.97 MWK 3,385

25.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₴138

$3.98 MWK 6,837

-22.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₴55.2

$0.94 MWK 1,609

30.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ₴38.20

$1.37 MWK 2,351

-37.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 ₴78.4

$1.70 MWK 2,915

2.94%

Eggs

$2.15 ₴96.2

$2.98 MWK 5,124

-27.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₴403

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

-41.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 ₴212

$3.17 MWK 5,447

49.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₴350

$4.05 MWK 6,958

93.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 ₴60.2

$2.55 MWK 4,376

-47.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₴73.8

$1.23 MWK 2,109

34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 ₴82.1

$1.52 MWK 2,607

21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 ₴122

$1.75 MWK 3,007

55.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ₴35.70

$1.83 MWK 3,136

-56.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₴23.14

$1.40 MWK 2,409

-62.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ₴60.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₴23.39

$0.54 MWK 925

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₴138

$1.57 MWK 2,699

95.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 ₴284

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

-56.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₴41.64

$1.05 MWK 1,800

-11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₴68.1

$1.92 MWK 3,299

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ₴25.81

$0.95 MWK 1,636

-38.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.30 ₴908

$4.22 MWK 7,238

381.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₴134

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₴14.50

$2.66 MWK 4,563

-87.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 ₴195

$2.10 MWK 3,611

107.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ₴72.7

$1.59 MWK 2,724

1.89%

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

$30.0K ₴1.3M

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

$25.5K ₴1.1M

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

$86.5 ₴3,871

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

90.20%

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

$6.09 ₴272

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

-48.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.51 ₴336

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

-87.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.71 ₴1,418

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

-13.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.24 ₴637

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 ₴215

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

$333 ₴14.9K

$349 MWK 600.0K

-4.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,191 ₴321.7K

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

208.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 ₴3,715

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.94 ₴1,965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 ₴4,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₴4,520

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 ₴22.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₴18.6K

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

516.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ₴41.7K

$268 MWK 459.8K

248.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₴27.5K

$561 MWK 963.0K

9.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,046 ₴91.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,268 ₴56.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₴28.9K

$280 MWK 480.4K

130.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

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

Last update for Lviv: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lviv pays 131% 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: $36.00 in Lviv vs $32.00 in Lilongwe. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $204, with Lviv cheaper for home cooking.

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

Lviv vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 131% higher in Lviv, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Lviv pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Lilongwe – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $36.00 in Lviv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,048 in Lviv, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lilongwe but tight or insufficient in Lviv. 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 Lviv, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lviv 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 79% less than in Lviv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.