Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Ikeja Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Ikeja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,697 in Abuja versus $1,060 in Ikeja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,862 in Abuja versus $1,652 in Ikeja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,027 in Abuja versus $2,243 in Ikeja.

Living in Abuja is roughly 60% more expensive than in Ikeja, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 27% above, Ikeja is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ₦2,741

$1.54 ₦2,097

30.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.34 ₦61.8K

$33.13 ₦45.2K

36.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₦7,641

$5.24 ₦7,146

7.06%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₦3,451

$2.18 ₦2,974

16.06%

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

$0.56 ₦758

$0.36 ₦495

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₦570

$0.20 ₦272

110.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₦1,448

$0.78 ₦1,067

35.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₦1,614

$1.37 ₦1,870

-13.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 ₦4,159

$2.12 ₦2,894

43.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₦1,693

$1.19 ₦1,615

4.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₦3,420

$2.33 ₦3,179

7.73%

Eggs

$1.52 ₦2,069

$1.77 ₦2,411

-14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.15 ₦7,016

$6.31 ₦8,599

-18.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 ₦5,995

$4.12 ₦5,620

6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 ₦5,184

$5.43 ₦7,397

-30.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ₦4,074

$3.55 ₦4,843

-15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 ₦2,356

$2.01 ₦2,741

-13.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ₦2,956

$2.17 ₦2,959

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,412

$2.40 ₦3,274

-26.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 ₦2,792

$2.29 ₦3,123

-10.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 ₦3,422

$1.94 ₦2,650

29.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₦765

$1.98 ₦2,696

-71.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₦391

$0.36 ₦489

-19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 ₦3,488

$1.31 ₦1,782

95.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ₦7,466

$2.56 ₦3,495

114.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₦1,443

$0.68 ₦921

55.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₦1,908

$0.95 ₦1,288

47.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 ₦898

$0.34 ₦467

94.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.91 ₦13.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₦1,185

$1.19 ₦1,623

-26.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ₦1,408

$2.13 ₦2,909

-51.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 ₦6,047

$4.65 ₦6,341

-4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₦1,131

$0.39 ₦528

112.82%

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

$20.5K ₦27.9M

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

$20.7K ₦28.2M

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

$30.24 ₦41.2K

$41.90 ₦57.1K

-27.83%

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

$11.00 ₦15.0K

$10.30 ₦14.0K

6.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.17 ₦56.1K

$34.23 ₦46.6K

20.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.70 ₦62.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.86 ₦14.8K

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 ₦11.2K

$6.45 ₦8,783

27.75%

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

$135 ₦184.6K

$84.2 ₦114.8K

60.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,974 ₦2.7M

$2,291 ₦3.1M

-13.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.64 ₦40.4K

$19.00 ₦25.9K

56.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.09 ₦39.6K

$25.00 ₦34.1K

16.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 ₦92.4K

$65.8 ₦89.7K

3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 ₦117.0K

$57.8 ₦78.7K

48.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,454 ₦3.3M

$840 ₦1.1M

192.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 ₦1.6M

$597 ₦814.2K

92.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,460 ₦7.4M

$1,925 ₦2.6M

183.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,655 ₦3.6M

$1,209 ₦1.6M

119.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$692 ₦943.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 ₦484.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 ₦223.4K

$71.1 ₦96.9K

130.49%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Ikeja: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,454 in Abuja and $840 in Ikeja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 130% 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: $45.00 in Abuja vs $33.00 in Ikeja. Groceries flip the comparison at $187 vs $189, with Abuja cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ikeja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abuja and Ikeja differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,697 vs $1,060 including rent). Ikeja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 130% 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: $2,454 in Abuja versus $840 in Ikeja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $135 in Abuja versus $84.2 in Ikeja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ikeja – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,060 in Ikeja versus $1,697 in Abuja, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ikeja but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Ikeja 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.

Safety-wise, Abuja and Ikeja are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ikeja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.