Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lilongwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lilongwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $581 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,129 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,676 in Lilongwe.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 144% more expensive than Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Lilongwe is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$4.97 MWK 8,539

-28.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$32.48 MWK 55.8K

0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

-51.80%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$3.12 MWK 5,349

-13.14%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.90 MWK 1,540

48.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.38 MWK 656

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.69 MWK 2,897

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$3.92 MWK 6,723

1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$0.93 MWK 1,599

94.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.20 MWK 2,057

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.69 MWK 2,910

-31.36%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.69 MWK 4,627

-8.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$16.01 MWK 27.5K

-8.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$3.17 MWK 5,446

36.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$4.00 MWK 6,874

203.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$2.61 MWK 4,483

47.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$0.97 MWK 1,667

60.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.54 MWK 2,644

83.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.56 MWK 2,680

49.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.33 MWK 2,285

43.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.26 MWK 2,163

74.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.65 MWK 1,117

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$1.62 MWK 2,789

104.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$14.37 MWK 24.7K

65.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.05 MWK 1,796

165.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$1.89 MWK 3,240

51.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.96 MWK 1,651

-71.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$4.26 MWK 7,322

88.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$2.53 MWK 4,341

-82.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$2.19 MWK 3,767

178.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.65 MWK 2,830

-52.12%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$44.67 MWK 76.7K

78.96%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$11.56 MWK 19.9K

-64.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$62.5 MWK 107.4K

-62.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$37.37 MWK 64.2K

164.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$4.05 MWK 6,949

2.47%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$350 MWK 601.1K

-13.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$2,340 MWK 4.0M

182.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$68.2 MWK 117.0K

890.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$272 MWK 467.6K

1163.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$554 MWK 952.0K

267.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$279 MWK 479.5K

-40.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lilongwe pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 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

Ubud, Bali vs Lilongwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lilongwe earns 69% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Ubud, Bali. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $581 in Lilongwe versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lilongwe but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. 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 Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali 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 144% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.