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: $1,661 in Abuja versus $800 in Ibadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,819 in Abuja versus $1,491 in Ibadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,976 in Abuja versus $2,182 in Ibadan.

Living in Abuja is roughly 108% more expensive than in Ibadan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 24% above, Ibadan is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₦2,789

$1.82 ₦2,509

11.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.41 ₦61.1K

$28.21 ₦38.8K

57.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ₦7,700

$5.42 ₦7,453

3.32%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₦3,518

$1.00 ₦1,376

156.00%

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

$0.50 ₦694

$0.29 ₦403

72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦534

$0.17 ₦228

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₦1,531

$0.81 ₦1,115

37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₦1,557

$1.26 ₦1,737

-10.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 ₦4,297

$2.29 ₦3,148

36.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ₦1,794

$1.15 ₦1,586

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₦3,452

$2.11 ₦2,898

18.96%

Eggs

$1.56 ₦2,151

$1.76 ₦2,426

-11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.26 ₦7,239

$4.27 ₦5,877

23.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 ₦6,355

$4.16 ₦5,727

11.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 ₦5,498

$4.02 ₦5,530

-0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ₦4,121

$2.43 ₦3,338

23.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ₦2,415

$1.17 ₦1,605

50.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ₦3,002

$1.23 ₦1,695

77.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ₦2,325

$1.69 ₦2,319

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 ₦2,826

$2.15 ₦2,963

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₦3,362

$1.51 ₦2,078

61.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₦794

$0.98 ₦1,342

-40.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₦392

$0.33 ₦448

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₦3,384

$1.26 ₦1,727

95.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ₦7,532

$0.94 ₦1,287

482.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₦1,455

$0.67 ₦924

58.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₦1,995

$0.88 ₦1,207

64.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 ₦956

$0.32 ₦445

118.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.59 ₦49.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,252

$1.20 ₦1,653

-24.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ₦1,484

$1.05 ₦1,438

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 ₦6,081

$3.68 ₦5,062

20.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₦1,116

$0.54 ₦743

50.00%

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

$9,612 ₦13.2M

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

$14.4K ₦19.8M

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

$30.08 ₦41.4K

$21.37 ₦29.4K

40.76%

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

$10.81 ₦14.9K

$7.64 ₦10.5K

41.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.89 ₦56.3K

$20.19 ₦27.8K

102.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 ₦60.6K

$30.06 ₦41.3K

46.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.63 ₦14.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 ₦11.4K

$2.58 ₦3,555

220.54%

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

$133 ₦183.0K

$49.94 ₦68.7K

166.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,996 ₦2.7M

$1,865 ₦2.6M

7.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.06 ₦41.3K

$18.39 ₦25.3K

63.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.56 ₦39.3K

$24.84 ₦34.2K

14.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 ₦93.4K

$43.22 ₦59.5K

57.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 ₦117.6K

$30.12 ₦41.4K

183.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 ₦3.3M

$449 ₦617.8K

438.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 ₦1.6M

$423 ₦581.7K

175.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,536 ₦7.6M

$1,235 ₦1.7M

348.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,634 ₦3.6M

$1,282 ₦1.8M

105.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 ₦946.2K

$835 ₦1.1M

-17.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$367 ₦505.5K

$29.39 ₦40.4K

1150.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 ₦228.8K

$54.9 ₦75.5K

203.06%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ibadan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Abuja and $449 in Ibadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 203% 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: $44.00 in Abuja vs $28.00 in Ibadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $152 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 108% in total monthly costs ($1,661 vs $800 including rent). Ibadan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 203% higher in Abuja, 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: $2,418 in Abuja versus $449 in Ibadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $133 in Abuja versus $49.94 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 $28.00 versus $44.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $800 in Ibadan versus $1,661 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 108% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.