Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Kaduna

For one person, living is cheaper in Kaduna: $310 a month against $1,087 in Abuja, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Abuja, Nigeria
Kaduna, Nigeria
Abuja
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$1,087
/mo nomad
Kaduna
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$310
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abuja and in Kaduna

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 Kaduna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Abuja versus $310 in Kaduna.

  • Abuja $1,087
  • Kaduna $310

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,937 in Abuja versus $546 in Kaduna.

  • Abuja $1,937
  • Kaduna $546

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Abuja versus $782 in Kaduna.

  • Abuja $2,786
  • Kaduna $782

Living in Abuja is roughly 250% more expensive than in Kaduna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abuja 20% lower, Kaduna 77% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.07 ₦2,786
$1.10 ₦1,485
88.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.92 ₦40.2K
$19.00 ₦25.5K
57.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.93 ₦5,284
$1.89 ₦2,548
107.94%
Cappuccino
$3.36 ₦4,522
$3.27 ₦4,392
2.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₦578
$0.21 ₦284
104.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 ₦892
$0.07 ₦89.1
842.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.99 ₦1,338
$0.47 ₦631
110.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 ₦2,658
$0.77 ₦1,038
157.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.61 ₦4,849
$1.47 ₦1,972
145.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.27 ₦1,709
$0.45 ₦609
182.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ₦2,921
$0.65 ₦879
233.85%
Eggs
$1.79 ₦2,413
$1.26 ₦1,700
42.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.19 ₦15.0K
$0.73 ₦977
1432.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.37 ₦7,220
$5.30 ₦7,130
1.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.06 ₦8,146
$1.77 ₦2,381
242.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₦2,687
$2.08 ₦2,798
-3.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 ₦1,984
$1.09 ₦1,464
35.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.47 ₦1,973
$0.38 ₦514
286.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.32 ₦3,123
$0.58 ₦782
300.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 ₦2,479
$0.71 ₦960
159.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 ₦3,339
$0.74 ₦993
235.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.60 ₦805
$0.13 ₦177
361.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₦486
$0.12 ₦163
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 ₦2,627
$2.01 ₦2,709
-2.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.69 ₦7,658
$1.87 ₦2,517
204.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 ₦1,592
$1.23 ₦1,652
-4.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 ₦2,482
$1.84 ₦2,480
0.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ₦625
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.00 ₦43.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.63 ₦843
$0.61 ₦821
3.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 ₦1,062
$0.80 ₦1,076
-1.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 ₦2,468
$1.90 ₦2,557
-3.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.53 ₦718
$0.54 ₦721
-1.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K ₦35.1M
$26.5K ₦35.7M
-1.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K ₦49.0M
$36.1K ₦48.6M
0.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$111 ₦149.5K
$7.58 ₦10.2K
1366.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.54 ₦8,793
$3.69 ₦4,960
77.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.96 ₦38.9K
$18.89 ₦25.4K
53.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.73 ₦44.0K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.31 ₦12.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.27 ₦8,438
$6.15 ₦8,271
1.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$45.02 ₦60.5K
$44.89 ₦60.4K
0.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,561 ₦7.5M
$3,085 ₦4.1M
80.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.67 ₦34.5K
$5.91 ₦7,953
334.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4 ₦79.9K
$11.27 ₦15.2K
427.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.3 ₦103.9K
$11.06 ₦14.9K
598.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 ₦142.8K
$11.27 ₦15.2K
842.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₦1.5M
$129 ₦174.1K
732.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$436 ₦586.6K
$85.3 ₦114.6K
411.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,673 ₦3.6M
$427 ₦573.7K
526.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,365 ₦1.8M
$225 ₦302.7K
506.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$695 ₦934.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$371 ₦498.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abuja
Kaduna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 ₦223.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.5
22.5
-

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

Last update for Abuja: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kaduna: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Abuja
$436
Kaduna
$85 80.5% $351
Groceries & Markets
Abuja
$218
Kaduna
$101 53.4% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abuja
$147
Kaduna
$30 79.4% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Abuja
$121
Kaduna
$18 85.3% $103
Eating Out
Abuja
$82
Kaduna
$59 28.4% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Abuja
$45
Kaduna
$12 * 72.8% $33
Getting Around
Abuja
$38
Kaduna
$4.6 * 88% $34

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,078 in Abuja and $129 in Kaduna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30 in Abuja vs $19 in Kaduna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $101 per month, with Kaduna cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Abuja
🇳🇬 Kaduna
🕒 Local time
06:06 6:06 AM
06:06 6:06 AM
Same time as Abuja
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
776,298 Capital
760,084
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,510 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.62 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Abuja Kaduna 160 km
From you
  • Abuja
  • Kaduna

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 Kaduna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Abuja and in Kaduna?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,087 in Abuja and $310 in Kaduna, so Kaduna is about 71% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Abuja compared to Kaduna?
You’d need roughly $1,631 in Abuja and $465 in Kaduna 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Abuja and in Kaduna?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,078 in Abuja versus $129 in Kaduna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Abuja and Kaduna?
Childcare runs $45 in Abuja versus $45 in Kaduna. 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 Kaduna – a meal for two runs $19 versus $30 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $800 per month?
At $310 in Kaduna versus $1,087 in Abuja, a $800 budget is realistic in Kaduna but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Kaduna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Abuja and Kaduna?
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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