Cost of living
Lilongwe compared to Balaka
🏛️
Overview comparison
LilongweBalaka
Consumer prices in Lilongwe are roughly 7% higher than in Balaka.
Cost of living
| Item | Lilongwe | Balaka |
|---|
| Total with rent one person | 692 | 519 |
|---|
| Total with rent family | 1,516 | 1,174 |
|---|
| Without rent one person | 367 | 341 |
|---|
| Without rent one family | 1,054 | 830 |
|---|
| Rent & Utilities person | 257.35 | 261.59 |
|---|
| Rent & Utilities family | 411.88 | 346.57 |
|---|
| Food person | 237 | 204 |
|---|
| Food family | 670 | 521 |
|---|
| Transport person | 53.52 | 24.62 |
|---|
| Transport family | 151.61 | 95.99 |
|---|
| Life expectancy | 71.47 years | 80 years |
|---|
Eating Out
| Item | Lilongwe | Balaka |
|---|
| Lunch Menu | 3.24 | 3.08 |
|---|
| Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2 | 22.35 | 19.88 |
|---|
| Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's | 3.5 | 4.38 |
|---|
| Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz | 1.03 | 0.92 |
|---|
| Cappuccino | 2.43 | 2.06 |
|---|
| Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz | 0.82 | 0.79 |
|---|
Rent & Utilities
| Item | Lilongwe | Balaka |
|---|
| 1 bedroom apartment in city Center, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | 423.3 | 293.67 |
|---|
| Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | 90.8 | 139.65 |
|---|
| 3 bedroom apartment in city Center, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | 397.27 | 361.74 |
|---|
| Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | 178.13 | 244.79 |
|---|
| Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc. | 42.6 | 39.97 |
|---|
| Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc. | 81.12 | 48.98 |
|---|
| Internet plan, 25 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited | 41.11 | 35.3 |
|---|
Transportation
| Item | Lilongwe | Balaka |
|---|
| Local transport ticket | 10.33 | 14.09 |
|---|
| Monthly ticket local transport | 9,455 | 9,580 |
|---|
| Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi | 490 | 543 |
|---|
| Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal | 0.82 | 1.18 |
|---|
| Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years | 12.66% | 12.25% |
|---|
| Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | 7.07 | 11.66 |
|---|
| House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | 1.67 | 1.45 |
|---|
Groceries
| Item | Lilongwe | Balaka |
|---|
| Milk, 1 L or 1 qt | 1.16 | 1.26 |
|---|
| Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb | 1.29 | 0.85 |
|---|
| Eggs, x12 | 2.1 | 2.01 |
|---|
| Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 10.79 | 8.85 |
|---|
| Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 2.8 | 4.05 |
|---|
| Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 5.64 | 5.21 |
|---|
| Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 1.25 | 1.78 |
|---|
| Water, 1 L or 1 qt | 0.33 | 0.38 |
|---|
Other
| Item | Lilongwe | Balaka |
|---|
| Gym Membership, 1 month | 33.32 | 30.6 |
|---|
| Cinema Ticket, 1 person | 3.91 | 3.34 |
|---|
| Doctors visit | 16.23 | 15.36 |
|---|
| Haircut, simple | 4.2 | 3.38 |
|---|
| Brand Jeans | 24.63 | 26.73 |
|---|
| Brand Sneakers | 46.73 | 54.64 |
|---|
| Daycare or Preschool, 1 month | 413.64 | 376.41 |
|---|
| International Primary School, 1 year | 2,762 | 2,018 |
|---|
