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: $1,716 in Medellin versus $586 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $1,131 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $1,675 in Lilongwe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 193% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Lilongwe is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$5.01 MWK 8,607

60.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

49.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

-5.79%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.05 MWK 5,239

-4.59%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.48 MWK 2,545

31.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.35 MWK 599

334.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.97 MWK 3,385

56.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.98 MWK 6,837

44.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.94 MWK 1,609

44.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.37 MWK 2,351

74.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.70 MWK 2,915

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.98 MWK 5,124

-3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

-35.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$3.17 MWK 5,447

240.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$4.05 MWK 6,958

263.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.55 MWK 4,376

60.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.23 MWK 2,109

27.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.52 MWK 2,607

40.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.75 MWK 3,007

26.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.83 MWK 3,136

12.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.40 MWK 2,409

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.54 MWK 925

114.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.57 MWK 2,699

148.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.05 MWK 1,800

50.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.92 MWK 3,299

47.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.95 MWK 1,636

23.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$4.22 MWK 7,238

1741.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$2.66 MWK 4,563

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$2.10 MWK 3,611

310.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.59 MWK 2,724

-18.24%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

286.97%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

13.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

-51.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

21.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$349 MWK 600.0K

127.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

286.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

904.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$268 MWK 459.8K

651.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$561 MWK 963.0K

108.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$280 MWK 480.4K

137.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 138% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 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

Medellin vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 193% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 138% higher in Medellin, 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 49% higher in Medellin. 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 $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,716 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 193% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.