Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Ibadan Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Ibadan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,700 in Abuja versus $812 in Ibadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,793 in Abuja versus $1,520 in Ibadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,886 in Abuja versus $2,229 in Ibadan.

Living in Abuja is roughly 109% more expensive than Ibadan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 27% above, Ibadan is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₦2,677

$1.83 ₦2,488

7.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.77 ₦62.2K

$29.27 ₦39.8K

56.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₦7,712

$5.47 ₦7,426

3.84%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₦3,417

$1.03 ₦1,405

144.66%

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

$0.50 ₦685

$0.29 ₦395

72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₦565

$0.19 ₦260

121.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₦1,502

$0.76 ₦1,035

46.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₦1,547

$1.26 ₦1,714

-9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 ₦4,151

$2.35 ₦3,187

30.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ₦1,789

$1.15 ₦1,563

14.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 ₦3,236

$2.06 ₦2,802

15.53%

Eggs

$1.57 ₦2,127

$1.72 ₦2,330

-8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.39 ₦7,321

$4.37 ₦5,943

23.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₦6,042

$4.29 ₦5,827

3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.88 ₦5,274

$4.18 ₦5,684

-7.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ₦4,211

$2.47 ₦3,357

25.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,407

$1.21 ₦1,648

46.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 ₦2,862

$1.24 ₦1,679

70.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ₦2,280

$1.63 ₦2,214

3.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 ₦2,900

$2.16 ₦2,934

-0.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₦3,438

$1.55 ₦2,109

63.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₦786

$0.92 ₦1,254

-36.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦426

$0.32 ₦439

-3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ₦3,297

$1.26 ₦1,705

92.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ₦7,721

$1.02 ₦1,384

456.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₦1,441

$0.63 ₦858

68.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₦1,923

$0.89 ₦1,211

59.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₦875

$0.36 ₦483

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.42 ₦49.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,231

$1.24 ₦1,681

-26.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ₦1,441

$1.04 ₦1,417

1.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 ₦5,976

$3.68 ₦5,005

19.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₦1,129

$0.57 ₦769

45.61%

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

$9,512 ₦12.9M

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

$14.2K ₦19.2M

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

$31.22 ₦42.4K

$20.99 ₦28.5K

48.74%

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

$10.68 ₦14.5K

$7.46 ₦10.1K

43.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.07 ₦57.1K

$19.75 ₦26.8K

113.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.35 ₦60.2K

$29.50 ₦40.1K

50.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.95 ₦14.9K

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 ₦11.1K

$2.67 ₦3,628

205.62%

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

$133 ₦180.3K

$50.4 ₦68.5K

163.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,969 ₦2.7M

$1,910 ₦2.6M

3.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.33 ₦39.8K

$18.37 ₦24.9K

59.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.29 ₦38.4K

$24.43 ₦33.2K

15.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ₦93.2K

$43.76 ₦59.4K

56.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ₦115.2K

$29.58 ₦40.2K

186.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ₦3.4M

$451 ₦612.8K

450.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 ₦1.6M

$433 ₦588.5K

169.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,456 ₦7.4M

$1,214 ₦1.6M

349.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,666 ₦3.6M

$1,291 ₦1.8M

106.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,106 ₦1.5M

$846 ₦1.1M

30.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$362 ₦492.3K

$28.82 ₦39.1K

1157.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 ₦228.1K

$55.9 ₦75.9K

200.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

16.33

37.78%

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

Last update for Abuja: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ibadan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,485 in Abuja and $451 in Ibadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 201% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Abuja vs $29.00 in Ibadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $154 per month, with Ibadan 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

Abuja vs Ibadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abuja and Ibadan differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($1,700 vs $812 including rent). Ibadan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Abuja pays 201% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,485 in Abuja versus $451 in Ibadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $133 in Abuja versus $50.4 in Ibadan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibadan – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $46.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $812 in Ibadan versus $1,700 in Abuja, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ibadan but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Ibadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Ibadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.