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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $581 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,129 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,676 in Lilongwe.

Living in Phuket is roughly 118% more expensive than Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Lilongwe 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.97 MWK 8,539

-5.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$32.48 MWK 55.8K

39.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

-17.92%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.12 MWK 5,349

-6.09%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.90 MWK 1,540

-23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.38 MWK 656

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.69 MWK 2,897

42.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.92 MWK 6,723

-5.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.93 MWK 1,599

139.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.20 MWK 2,057

52.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.69 MWK 2,910

28.40%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.69 MWK 4,627

-17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$16.01 MWK 27.5K

23.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.17 MWK 5,446

14.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.00 MWK 6,874

238.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.61 MWK 4,483

25.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.97 MWK 1,667

65.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.54 MWK 2,644

56.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.56 MWK 2,680

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.33 MWK 2,285

15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.26 MWK 2,163

17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.65 MWK 1,117

-21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.62 MWK 2,789

172.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$14.37 MWK 24.7K

34.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.05 MWK 1,796

69.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.89 MWK 3,240

43.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.96 MWK 1,651

42.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$4.26 MWK 7,322

167.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.53 MWK 4,341

-60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.19 MWK 3,767

543.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.65 MWK 2,830

-17.58%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

$44.67 MWK 76.7K

172.44%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$11.56 MWK 19.9K

17.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$62.5 MWK 107.4K

-70.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$37.37 MWK 64.2K

61.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.05 MWK 6,949

114.57%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$350 MWK 601.1K

98.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,340 MWK 4.0M

570.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$68.2 MWK 117.0K

541.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$272 MWK 467.6K

669.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$554 MWK 952.0K

172.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$279 MWK 479.5K

81.94%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 82% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $200 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 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 82% more on average, 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 47% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $581 in Lilongwe versus $1,265 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 118% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.