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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $582 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,135 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,688 in Lilongwe.

Living in Phuket is roughly 115% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Lilongwe 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.03 MWK 8,636

-9.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$32.03 MWK 55.0K

44.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

-13.92%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.11 MWK 5,340

-1.61%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.98 MWK 1,690

-25.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.38 MWK 656

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.78 MWK 3,058

36.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.05 MWK 6,952

-6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.96 MWK 1,646

135.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.25 MWK 2,150

44.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.67 MWK 2,876

34.73%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.70 MWK 4,631

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$15.86 MWK 27.2K

23.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.26 MWK 5,596

11.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$3.94 MWK 6,772

231.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.63 MWK 4,512

22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.02 MWK 1,753

58.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.53 MWK 2,624

55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.52 MWK 2,605

33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.40 MWK 2,412

9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.26 MWK 2,168

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.60 MWK 1,038

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.56 MWK 2,686

184.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$14.62 MWK 25.1K

25.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.09 MWK 1,873

70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.89 MWK 3,244

41.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.96 MWK 1,643

46.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$4.43 MWK 7,603

164.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.58 MWK 4,423

-59.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.15 MWK 3,687

556.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.63 MWK 2,794

-19.63%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$44.81 MWK 76.9K

173.24%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

15.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$61.3 MWK 105.2K

-69.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$38.14 MWK 65.5K

58.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.87 MWK 6,643

134.37%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$354 MWK 608.6K

99.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,365 MWK 4.1M

568.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$66.9 MWK 114.8K

565.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$270 MWK 463.8K

655.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$548 MWK 941.5K

172.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$271 MWK 464.9K

84.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 85% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $201 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 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 85% 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 44% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $582 in Lilongwe versus $1,250 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 115% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.