Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lilongwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lilongwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $581 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,129 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,676 in Lilongwe.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 123% more expensive than Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Lilongwe 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.97 MWK 8,539

136.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$32.48 MWK 55.8K

28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

3.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.12 MWK 5,349

12.82%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.90 MWK 1,540

67.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.38 MWK 656

155.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.69 MWK 2,897

74.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.92 MWK 6,723

13.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$0.93 MWK 1,599

48.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.20 MWK 2,057

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.69 MWK 2,910

-2.96%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.69 MWK 4,627

-6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$16.01 MWK 27.5K

-47.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.17 MWK 5,446

163.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$4.00 MWK 6,874

168.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$2.61 MWK 4,483

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$0.97 MWK 1,667

50.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.54 MWK 2,644

23.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.56 MWK 2,680

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.33 MWK 2,285

33.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.26 MWK 2,163

73.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.65 MWK 1,117

66.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$1.62 MWK 2,789

151.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.37 MWK 24.7K

-28.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.05 MWK 1,796

62.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.89 MWK 3,240

36.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.96 MWK 1,651

-46.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$4.26 MWK 7,322

521.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$2.53 MWK 4,341

-1.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.19 MWK 3,767

48.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.65 MWK 2,830

-20.61%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$44.67 MWK 76.7K

85.52%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$11.56 MWK 19.9K

92.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$62.5 MWK 107.4K

-53.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$37.37 MWK 64.2K

38.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$4.05 MWK 6,949

25.19%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$350 MWK 601.1K

-42.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,340 MWK 4.0M

122.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$68.2 MWK 117.0K

586.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$272 MWK 467.6K

502.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$554 MWK 952.0K

120.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$279 MWK 479.5K

137.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 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

Playa del Carmen vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 138% 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 25% higher in Playa del Carmen. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $581 in Lilongwe versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lilongwe but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 123% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.