Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Abuja vs Lilongwe

Abuja vs Lilongwe

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Abuja 23% cheaper Abuja +23 Mbps Low / Moderate

Abuja

Ovinuchi Ejiohuo/Unsplash

Lilongwe

Black Chitsulo/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,325

Abuja

$1,721

Lilongwe

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Low

Abuja

Moderate

Lilongwe

Air Quality

5/5

Abuja

5/5

Lilongwe

Healthcare

Moderate

Abuja

High

Lilongwe

Population

107.1k

Abuja

669.0k

Lilongwe

Abuja (Nigeria) and Lilongwe (Malawi) are both in Africa, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

The monthly savings are substantial — Abuja at $1325/mo costs 23% less than Lilongwe at $1721/mo, adding up to $4752 over a year.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Abuja has a clear edge at 26 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Lilongwe's 3 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

Lilongwe has a stronger safety profile than Abuja, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Lilongwe offers better healthcare infrastructure than Abuja — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Abuja is October (around 36 degrees, 1mm rain, score 383), while Lilongwe peaks in May (25 degrees, 0mm rain, score 402). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AbujaLilongwe

Nomad$1,325/mo$1,721/mo

Expat$803/mo$776/mo

Local–$400/mo

Family–$1,401/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AbujaLilongwe

City Speed

26 Mbps

3 Mbps

Country Speed26 Mbps0 Mbps

Environment & Health

AbujaLilongwe

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateHigh

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity2884

Quality of Life

AbujaLilongwe

SafetyLowModerate

HealthcareModerateHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Abuja

Lilongwe

Jan

34°

0mm357

29°

3mm310

Feb

36°

0mm357

32°

1mm331

Mar

39°

0mm347

30°

1mm331

Apr

39°

0mm357

28°

0mm388

May

39°

0mm377

25°

0mm402

Jun

35°

1mm368

23°

0mm382

Jul

32°

4mm217

24°

0mm402

Aug

31°

2mm217

25°

0mm402

Sep

34°

3mm309

28°

0mm402

Oct

36°

1mm383

31°

0mm402

Nov

34°

0mm377

32°

1mm392

Dec

34°

0mm357

33°

1mm398

Who Should Choose Abuja?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1325
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 107.1k residents
Peak season in October — 36 degrees, score 383

Who Should Choose Lilongwe?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1400.639064831766/mo for families
Peak season in May — 25 degrees, score 402

Overall Verdict

The data favors Lilongwe as the more well-rounded choice. At $1721/mo versus Abuja's $1325/mo, that is a 23% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Abuja Lilongwe

ItemAbujaLilongweDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.38$3.41

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$39.4$29.21

26%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.63$4.87

13%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.15$2.32

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.13$0.78

31%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.58$1.36

14%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.52$0.68

24%

Water (0.33L)$0.25$0.35

29%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$2.93$0.84

71%

White bread (500g)$1.45$0.53

63%

White rice (1kg)$2.99$0.8

73%

Eggs (12)$1.99$1.58

21%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$5.45$2.34

57%

Beef round (1kg)$5.72$3.38

41%

Local cheese (1kg)$6.59$14.12

53%

Apples (1kg)$4.13$2.57

38%

Bananas (1kg)$1.74$1.34

23%

Oranges (1kg)$0.53$2.37

78%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.39$1.58

12%

Potatoes (1kg)$3.21$1.78

45%

Onions (1kg)$1.63$1.78

Lettuce (1 head)$1.35$0.57

58%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.43$0.52

17%

Wine, mid-range bottle$6.75$6.33

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.13$0.84

26%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.37$1.53

10%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.13$2.92

61%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.79$0.49

38%

Monthly transport pass$33.77$44.64

24%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.13$4.87

77%

Taxi per 1km$0.68$0.39

43%

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.75$0.97

86%

Gasoline (1L)$0.4$1.03

61%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$23,020.47$26,777.02

14%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,519.46$26,777.02

15%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$31.52$53.55

41%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$55.44$111.98

50%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.05$0.07

29%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$38.27$36.03

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$7.88$7.79

Cinema, 1 ticket$7.88$4.06

48%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$183.86$230.44

20%

International primary school/yr$3,686.65$6,264.2

41%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$21.67$42.19

49%

Summer dress (chain store)$37.15$25.32

32%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$47.28$69.46

32%

Men's leather business shoes$74.3$86.01

14%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,273.9$350.54

85%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,069.41$163.1

85%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$5,928.66$632.91

89%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$2,560.96$596.4

77%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$12,157.51$10,507.21

14%

Price per m², outside centre$11,504.6$584.23

95%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$235.83$292.11

19%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$17.67$20

12%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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