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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $586 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,131 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,675 in Lilongwe.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 138% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Lilongwe is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$5.01 MWK 8,607

-32.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$32.21 MWK 55.3K

19.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$10.37 MWK 17.8K

-46.77%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$3.05 MWK 5,239

-13.44%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.48 MWK 2,545

12.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.35 MWK 599

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$1.97 MWK 3,385

33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.98 MWK 6,837

7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$0.94 MWK 1,609

64.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.37 MWK 2,351

62.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.70 MWK 2,915

-33.53%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$2.98 MWK 5,124

-29.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$15.46 MWK 26.6K

12.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$3.17 MWK 5,447

22.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$4.05 MWK 6,958

209.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.55 MWK 4,376

41.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.23 MWK 2,109

26.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.52 MWK 2,607

54.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.75 MWK 3,007

17.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.83 MWK 3,136

3.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.40 MWK 2,409

67.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.54 MWK 925

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$1.57 MWK 2,699

43.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$14.43 MWK 24.8K

65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.05 MWK 1,800

120.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.92 MWK 3,299

45.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.95 MWK 1,636

-71.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$4.22 MWK 7,238

105.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$2.66 MWK 4,563

-83.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$2.10 MWK 3,611

172.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.59 MWK 2,724

-52.20%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$45.50 MWK 78.1K

83.63%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

-45.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$61.7 MWK 105.9K

-69.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$36.75 MWK 63.1K

52.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$349 MWK 600.0K

39.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$2,334 MWK 4.0M

150.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$67.7 MWK 116.1K

936.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$268 MWK 459.8K

1220.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$561 MWK 963.0K

214.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$280 MWK 480.4K

-39.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lilongwe pays 65% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $32.00 in Lilongwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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

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

Lilongwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 138% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Lilongwe. 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 44% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $586 in Lilongwe versus $1,396 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 138% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.