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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $582 in Lilongwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,135 in Lilongwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,688 in Lilongwe.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 142% more expensive than in Lilongwe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Lilongwe is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$5.03 MWK 8,636

-31.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$32.03 MWK 55.0K

0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$10.27 MWK 17.6K

-52.87%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$3.11 MWK 5,340

-11.58%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.98 MWK 1,690

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.38 MWK 656

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.78 MWK 3,058

67.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$4.05 MWK 6,952

-4.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.96 MWK 1,646

81.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.25 MWK 2,150

96.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.67 MWK 2,876

-29.94%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.70 MWK 4,631

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$15.86 MWK 27.2K

-8.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.26 MWK 5,596

33.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$3.94 MWK 6,772

204.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.63 MWK 4,512

41.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.02 MWK 1,753

59.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.53 MWK 2,624

79.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.52 MWK 2,605

47.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.40 MWK 2,412

37.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.26 MWK 2,168

80.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.60 MWK 1,038

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$1.56 MWK 2,686

110.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$14.62 MWK 25.1K

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.09 MWK 1,873

155.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.89 MWK 3,244

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.96 MWK 1,643

-71.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$4.43 MWK 7,603

83.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.58 MWK 4,423

-83.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.15 MWK 3,687

189.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.63 MWK 2,794

-50.31%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$44.81 MWK 76.9K

74.85%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$11.78 MWK 20.2K

-65.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$61.3 MWK 105.2K

-60.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$38.14 MWK 65.5K

158.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.87 MWK 6,643

3.10%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$354 MWK 608.6K

-13.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$2,365 MWK 4.1M

180.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$66.9 MWK 114.8K

905.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$270 MWK 463.8K

1149.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$548 MWK 941.5K

273.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$271 MWK 464.9K

-38.34%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lilongwe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lilongwe pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $32.00 in Lilongwe. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $201, with Lilongwe cheaper for home cooking.

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 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 62% 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 48% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $582 in Lilongwe versus $1,408 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 142% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.