Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lilongwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lilongwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $582 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,135 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,688 in Lilongwe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 77% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Lilongwe 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.03 MWK 8,636

22.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$32.03 MWK 55.0K

1.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

-28.53%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.11 MWK 5,340

-44.69%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.98 MWK 1,690

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.38 MWK 656

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.78 MWK 3,058

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.05 MWK 6,952

-21.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.96 MWK 1,646

9.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.25 MWK 2,150

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.67 MWK 2,876

-16.17%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.70 MWK 4,631

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$15.86 MWK 27.2K

-72.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.26 MWK 5,596

80.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.94 MWK 6,772

119.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.63 MWK 4,512

-13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.02 MWK 1,753

8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.53 MWK 2,624

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.52 MWK 2,605

-11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.40 MWK 2,412

-19.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.26 MWK 2,168

-10.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.60 MWK 1,038

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.56 MWK 2,686

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$14.62 MWK 25.1K

-15.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.09 MWK 1,873

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.89 MWK 3,244

31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.96 MWK 1,643

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$4.43 MWK 7,603

815.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.58 MWK 4,423

-25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.15 MWK 3,687

256.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.63 MWK 2,794

-39.26%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$44.81 MWK 76.9K

80.34%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

-15.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$61.3 MWK 105.2K

-60.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.14 MWK 65.5K

-34.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.87 MWK 6,643

2.84%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$354 MWK 608.6K

-13.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,365 MWK 4.1M

156.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$66.9 MWK 114.8K

462.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$270 MWK 463.8K

212.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$548 MWK 941.5K

33.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$271 MWK 464.9K

127.79%

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 Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 128% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $32.00 in Lilongwe. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $201, with Medellin 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

Medellin vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 128% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 4% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $582 in Lilongwe versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lilongwe but tight or insufficient in Medellin. 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 Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Lilongwe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.