Living in Lilongwe, Malawi

Lilongwe is a large inland city in Central Region, Malawi (1 to 5 million people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 21°C over the year with about 881 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,397 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Malawi is possible, with conditions.

See how Lilongwe ranks for you

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Est. cost: €2,397; a month for a couple
Climate: 21°C; 881 mm rain a year
Size: Large; 1 to 5 million people
Safety: 53/100; country-level
Residency: Possible, with conditions; for most foreigners

Limited data for Malawi. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Malawi are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Malawi, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

Healthcare

Malawi scores 44 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 2% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Malawi: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,397 a month to live centrally in Lilongwe, 12% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 76% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Safety and stability

Malawi scores 53 out of 100 on safety, safer than 26% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 5.9 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Malawi: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Long-term residency is realistic mainly through an employer-sponsored employment permit, a five-year renewable business/investor residence permit, or permanent residence after five years' ordinary residence or as a retiree of assured means.

The cheapest self-funded routes we track for Malawi:

Investment: about $50k (Malawi Business Residence Permit, US$50,000 minimum investment capital required for the MITC investment certificate; as of June 2026)

For short visits, 63 of 198 passports can enter visa-free and 135 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules, figures as of June 2026. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Climate

Lilongwe averages 21°C across the year with about 881 mm of rain, which makes it warm and moderately wet. It is warmer than 58% of the 1225 cities we track.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Questions couples ask about Lilongwe

Is Lilongwe a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Lilongwe scores well on affordability. It is weaker on safety and healthcare. Our figures for Malawi are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, moderately wet climate (21°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Lilongwe and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Lilongwe?

We estimate about €2,397 a month for a couple living centrally, 12% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Malawi, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Malawi long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Long-term residency is realistic mainly through an employer-sponsored employment permit, a five-year renewable business/investor residence permit, or permanent residence after five years' ordinary residence or as a retiree of assured means. The cheapest self-funded routes we track: investment, about $50k (as of 2026-06).

What is the weather like in Lilongwe?

Lilongwe averages 21°C across the year with about 881 mm of rain, which makes it warm and moderately wet. It is warmer than 58% of the cities we track.