Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Ilesha Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Ilesha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,671 in Abuja versus $454 in Ilesha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,827 in Abuja versus $801 in Ilesha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,983 in Abuja versus $1,148 in Ilesha.

Living in Abuja is roughly 268% more expensive than Ilesha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 25% above, Ilesha is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ₦2,725

$2.51 ₦3,387

-19.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.88 ₦60.5K

$50.7 ₦68.3K

-11.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 ₦7,500

$5.39 ₦7,268

3.15%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ₦3,262

$2.20 ₦2,965

10.00%

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

$0.52 ₦700

$0.37 ₦494

40.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₦557

$0.20 ₦269

105.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₦1,427

$0.80 ₦1,074

32.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₦1,612

$1.37 ₦1,852

-13.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 ₦4,176

$2.27 ₦3,063

36.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₦1,696

$1.25 ₦1,683

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,257

$2.34 ₦3,157

2.99%

Eggs

$1.56 ₦2,100

$1.70 ₦2,287

-8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.18 ₦6,988

$6.41 ₦8,646

-19.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 ₦6,115

$4.28 ₦5,774

5.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.90 ₦5,261

$5.52 ₦7,442

-29.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₦3,988

$3.60 ₦4,859

-17.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,385

$2.11 ₦2,847

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ₦2,956

$2.18 ₦2,942

0.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₦2,357

$2.39 ₦3,226

-26.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 ₦2,808

$2.29 ₦3,094

-9.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 ₦3,305

$2.03 ₦2,739

20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₦823

$2.02 ₦2,723

-69.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦419

$0.38 ₦516

-18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 ₦3,457

$1.26 ₦1,700

103.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.40 ₦9,977

$3.25 ₦4,379

127.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₦1,486

$0.69 ₦928

59.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₦1,894

$0.88 ₦1,188

59.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ₦936

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₦1,172

$1.19 ₦1,612

-26.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ₦1,399

$2.16 ₦2,919

-51.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.34 ₦5,852

$4.57 ₦6,167

-5.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₦1,111

$0.75 ₦1,012

9.33%

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

$20.5K ₦27.7M

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

$20.7K ₦28.0M

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

$30.67 ₦41.4K

$41.91 ₦56.5K

-26.82%

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

$10.93 ₦14.7K

$10.35 ₦14.0K

5.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.27 ₦55.7K

$34.40 ₦46.4K

19.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.29 ₦59.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ₦14.7K

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ₦11.4K

$6.51 ₦8,776

29.80%

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

$135 ₦181.9K

$83.1 ₦112.1K

62.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,940 ₦2.6M

$2,275 ₦3.1M

-14.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.00 ₦40.5K

$19.02 ₦25.7K

57.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.55 ₦38.5K

$24.91 ₦33.6K

14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 ₦93.3K

$64.1 ₦86.5K

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 ₦117.7K

$57.2 ₦77.1K

52.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ₦3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 ₦1.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,469 ₦7.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,705 ₦3.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 ₦1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,135 ₦1.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 ₦381.6K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,485 in Abuja and $0 in Ilesha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45 in Abuja vs $51 in Ilesha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $195 per month, with Abuja 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 Ilesha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abuja and Ilesha differ by about 268% in total monthly costs ($1,671 vs $454 including rent). Ilesha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,506 in Abuja and $680 in Ilesha to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $135 in Abuja versus $83.1 in Ilesha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ilesha – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $454 in Ilesha versus $1,671 in Abuja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ilesha but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Ilesha 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 Ilesha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 268% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.