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: $910 in Lviv versus $582 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,340 in Lviv versus $1,135 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Lviv versus $1,688 in Lilongwe.

Living in Lviv is roughly 56% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lviv 32% lower, Lilongwe 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 ₴321

$5.03 MWK 8,636

42.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.12 ₴1,301

$32.03 MWK 55.0K

-9.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ₴236

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

-48.59%

Cappuccino

$1.61 ₴72.0

$3.11 MWK 5,340

-48.23%

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

$0.65 ₴28.99

$0.98 MWK 1,690

-33.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₴19.19

$0.38 MWK 656

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₴58.4

$1.78 MWK 3,058

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₴77.5

$4.05 MWK 6,952

-57.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 ₴48.21

$0.96 MWK 1,646

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₴33.28

$1.25 MWK 2,150

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ₴70.1

$1.67 MWK 2,876

-5.99%

Eggs

$1.85 ₴82.7

$2.70 MWK 4,631

-31.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 ₴373

$15.86 MWK 27.2K

-47.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 ₴193

$3.26 MWK 5,596

32.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₴331

$3.94 MWK 6,772

88.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 ₴43.58

$2.63 MWK 4,512

-62.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₴66.8

$1.02 MWK 1,753

47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ₴74.1

$1.53 MWK 2,624

8.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₴101

$1.52 MWK 2,605

49.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ₴32.50

$1.40 MWK 2,412

-47.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 ₴23.68

$1.26 MWK 2,168

-57.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ₴59.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₴24.04

$0.60 MWK 1,038

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 ₴111

$1.56 MWK 2,686

58.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 ₴267

$14.62 MWK 25.1K

-59.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₴35.83

$1.09 MWK 1,873

-26.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₴60.4

$1.89 MWK 3,244

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ₴27.42

$0.96 MWK 1,643

-36.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.03 ₴448

$4.43 MWK 7,603

126.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 ₴126

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₴10.26

$2.58 MWK 4,423

-91.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ₴191

$2.15 MWK 3,687

99.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₴61.7

$1.63 MWK 2,794

-15.34%

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

$30.6K ₴1.4M

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

$22.1K ₴985.1K

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

$86.2 ₴3,851

$44.81 MWK 76.9K

92.39%

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

$4.98 ₴222

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

-57.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.30 ₴282

$61.3 MWK 105.2K

-89.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.27 ₴1,174

$38.14 MWK 65.5K

-31.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.94 ₴444

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 ₴218

$3.87 MWK 6,643

26.10%

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

$298 ₴13.3K

$354 MWK 608.6K

-15.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,144 ₴274.5K

$2,365 MWK 4.1M

159.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₴2,625

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.75 ₴1,552

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₴4,481

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 ₴3,944

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₴21.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₴15.4K

$66.9 MWK 114.8K

415.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 ₴36.4K

$270 MWK 463.8K

201.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 ₴24.7K

$548 MWK 941.5K

0.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ₴91.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,304 ₴58.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ₴28.5K

$271 MWK 464.9K

135.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Lviv: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lviv pays 136% 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: $29.00 in Lviv vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $201 per month, with Lviv 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

Lviv vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 136% 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 21% 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 $29.00 in Lviv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $582 in Lilongwe versus $910 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 56% less than in Lviv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.