Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Ilesha

For one person, living is cheaper in Ilesha: $477 a month against $991 in Abuja, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Abuja, Nigeria
Ilesha, Nigeria
Abuja
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$991
/mo nomad
Ilesha
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$477
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abuja and in Ilesha

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abuja and in Ilesha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Abuja versus $477 in Ilesha.

  • Abuja $991
  • Ilesha $477

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Abuja versus $804 in Ilesha.

  • Abuja $1,872
  • Ilesha $804

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,753 in Abuja versus $1,131 in Ilesha.

  • Abuja $2,753
  • Ilesha $1,131

Living in Abuja is roughly 108% more expensive than in Ilesha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abuja 27% lower, Ilesha 65% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94 ₦2,602
$3.63 ₦4,859
-46.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.33 ₦40.7K
$49.95 ₦66.9K
-39.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.08 ₦5,465
$7.33 ₦9,819
-44.34%
Cappuccino
$3.28 ₦4,400
$2.74 ₦3,679
19.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₦573
$0.41 ₦548
4.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 ₦956
$0.22 ₦294
222.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.97 ₦1,301
$1.02 ₦1,364
-4.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 ₦2,647
$2.05 ₦2,744
-3.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.59 ₦4,814
$3.09 ₦4,148
16.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 ₦1,731
$1.48 ₦1,990
-12.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.27 ₦3,048
$1.27 ₦1,697
78.74%
Eggs
$1.81 ₦2,420
$2.23 ₦2,982
-18.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.11 ₦14.9K
$3.55 ₦4,760
212.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.35 ₦7,164
$3.78 ₦5,071
41.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.82 ₦7,795
$4.33 ₦5,807
34.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.07 ₦2,775
$1.69 ₦2,261
22.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 ₦2,006
$1.30 ₦1,746
15.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 ₦2,039
$1.08 ₦1,447
40.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 ₦3,068
$1.48 ₦1,988
54.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 ₦2,393
$1.61 ₦2,154
11.18%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 ₦3,324
$1.50 ₦2,016
65.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 ₦794
$0.89 ₦1,190
-33.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 ₦526
$0.36 ₦487
8.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.96 ₦2,624
$0.59 ₦787
232.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.83 ₦7,818
$2.49 ₦3,331
134.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 ₦1,604
$0.51 ₦679
135.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 ₦2,484
$0.50 ₦674
270.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ₦619
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.58 ₦43.7K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.61 ₦823
$0.68 ₦912
-10.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.81 ₦1,086
$0.90 ₦1,200
-10.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.85 ₦2,474
$2.21 ₦2,958
-16.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.57 ₦765
$0.91 ₦1,217
-37.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K ₦35.0M
$11.1K ₦14.9M
134.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K ₦50.0M
$29.3K ₦39.3M
27.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 ₦147.8K
$110 ₦147.1K
0.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.48 ₦8,687
$14.50 ₦19.4K
-55.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.14 ₦39.1K
$32.73 ₦43.9K
-10.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.74 ₦34.5K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.62 ₦12.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.31 ₦8,456
$6.15 ₦8,241
2.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$44.68 ₦59.9K
$664 ₦889.8K
-93.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,103 ₦4.2M
$20.0K ₦26.8M
-84.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.03 ₦34.9K
$14.39 ₦19.3K
80.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.8 ₦81.4K
$17.99 ₦24.1K
237.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.5 ₦102.6K
$35.77 ₦47.9K
113.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 ₦141.3K
$48.26 ₦64.7K
118.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$589 ₦789.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$348 ₦465.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,405 ₦1.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,346 ₦1.8M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$699 ₦937.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$378 ₦506.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abuja
Ilesha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$162 ₦217.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.5
18.39
22.35%

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

Last update for Abuja: October 24, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Abuja
$348
Ilesha
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Abuja
$218
Ilesha
$155 29.2% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abuja
$146
Ilesha
$157 7.6% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Abuja
$121
Ilesha
$52 56.7% $69
Eating Out
Abuja
$81
Ilesha
$96 18.7% $15
Getting Around
Abuja
$39
Ilesha
$5.2 * 86.8% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Abuja
$38
Ilesha
$12 * 67.9% $26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30 in Abuja vs $50 in Ilesha. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $155, with Ilesha cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Abuja
🇳🇬 Ilesha
🕒 Local time
11:20 11:20 AM
11:20 11:20 AM
Same time as Abuja
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
776,298 Capital
277,904
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Abuja Ilesha 340 km
From you
  • Abuja
  • Ilesha

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Abuja and in Ilesha?
Abuja and Ilesha differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($991 vs $477 including rent). Ilesha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Abuja compared to Ilesha?
You’d need roughly $1,486 in Abuja and $715 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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Abuja and Ilesha?
Childcare runs $45 in Abuja versus $664 in Ilesha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Abuja – a meal for two runs $30 versus $50 in Ilesha. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How does quality of life compare between Abuja and Ilesha?
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.

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