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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $586 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,131 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,675 in Lilongwe.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 121% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Lilongwe 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$5.01 MWK 8,607

133.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

44.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

12.34%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.05 MWK 5,239

34.10%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.48 MWK 2,545

-7.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.35 MWK 599

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.97 MWK 3,385

70.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.98 MWK 6,837

73.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.94 MWK 1,609

84.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.37 MWK 2,351

64.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.70 MWK 2,915

4.12%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.98 MWK 5,124

-8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

-40.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.17 MWK 5,447

181.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$4.05 MWK 6,958

211.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.55 MWK 4,376

18.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.23 MWK 2,109

27.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.52 MWK 2,607

40.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$1.75 MWK 3,007

29.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$1.83 MWK 3,136

9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$1.40 MWK 2,409

47.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.54 MWK 925

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$1.57 MWK 2,699

194.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

-25.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.05 MWK 1,800

54.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$1.92 MWK 3,299

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.95 MWK 1,636

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$4.22 MWK 7,238

606.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.66 MWK 4,563

39.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$2.10 MWK 3,611

184.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.59 MWK 2,724

-2.52%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

95.89%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

112.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

-48.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

84.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

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

$225 MX$3,802

$349 MWK 600.0K

-35.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

80.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

499.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$268 MWK 459.8K

622.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$561 MWK 963.0K

132.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$280 MWK 480.4K

167.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 168% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 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

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 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 168% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 36% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,293 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 121% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.