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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $582 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,135 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,688 in Lilongwe.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 116% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Lilongwe 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.03 MWK 8,636

138.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$32.03 MWK 55.0K

30.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

4.67%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.11 MWK 5,340

12.54%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.98 MWK 1,690

47.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.38 MWK 656

131.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.78 MWK 3,058

65.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.05 MWK 6,952

11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.96 MWK 1,646

48.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.25 MWK 2,150

47.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.67 MWK 2,876

-5.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.70 MWK 4,631

-7.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$15.86 MWK 27.2K

-47.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.26 MWK 5,596

158.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$3.94 MWK 6,772

171.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.63 MWK 4,512

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.02 MWK 1,753

41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.53 MWK 2,624

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.52 MWK 2,605

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.40 MWK 2,412

32.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.26 MWK 2,168

72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.60 MWK 1,038

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.56 MWK 2,686

162.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$14.62 MWK 25.1K

-30.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.09 MWK 1,873

54.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.89 MWK 3,244

33.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.96 MWK 1,643

-46.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$4.43 MWK 7,603

487.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.58 MWK 4,423

-6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.15 MWK 3,687

50.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.63 MWK 2,794

-19.02%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$44.81 MWK 76.9K

83.02%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

94.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$61.3 MWK 105.2K

-50.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$38.14 MWK 65.5K

36.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.87 MWK 6,643

28.68%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$354 MWK 608.6K

-44.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,365 MWK 4.1M

125.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$66.9 MWK 114.8K

608.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$270 MWK 463.8K

508.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$548 MWK 941.5K

120.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$271 MWK 464.9K

141.49%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 141% 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 $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

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 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 141% 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 24% 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 $582 in Lilongwe versus $1,256 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 116% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.