Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lilongwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lilongwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $586 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,131 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,675 in Lilongwe.

Living in Phuket is roughly 114% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Lilongwe 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$5.01 MWK 8,607

-8.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

1.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

-14.18%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$3.05 MWK 5,239

-8.20%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$1.48 MWK 2,545

-40.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.35 MWK 599

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.97 MWK 3,385

21.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.98 MWK 6,837

-6.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$0.94 MWK 1,609

90.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$1.37 MWK 2,351

5.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.70 MWK 2,915

-7.06%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.98 MWK 5,124

-28.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

28.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$3.17 MWK 5,447

8.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$4.05 MWK 6,958

179.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$2.55 MWK 4,376

15.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.23 MWK 2,109

39.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$1.52 MWK 2,607

52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.75 MWK 3,007

18.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.83 MWK 3,136

-19.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.40 MWK 2,409

-2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.54 MWK 925

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$1.57 MWK 2,699

171.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

27.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.05 MWK 1,800

78.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$1.92 MWK 3,299

52.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.95 MWK 1,636

133.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$4.22 MWK 7,238

442.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$2.66 MWK 4,563

-59.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$2.10 MWK 3,611

87.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.59 MWK 2,724

-6.29%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

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

$103 ฿3,379

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

125.93%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

-6.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

-71.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

45.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$349 MWK 600.0K

59.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

407.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

638.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$268 MWK 459.8K

680.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$561 MWK 963.0K

115.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$280 MWK 480.4K

79.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 80% 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 Phuket vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 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

Phuket vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 80% higher in Phuket, 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 34% higher in Phuket. 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 $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lilongwe but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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 Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket 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 114% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.