Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Lagos Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Lagos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,700 in Abuja versus $2,071 in Lagos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,793 in Abuja versus $3,109 in Lagos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,886 in Abuja versus $4,147 in Lagos.

Living in Abuja costs roughly 18% less than in Lagos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abuja 27% above, Lagos 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₦2,684

$16.44 €14.14

-88.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.77 ₦62.3K

$53.0 €45.56

-13.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₦7,732

$8.20 €7.05

-30.73%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₦3,426

$2.37 €2.04

6.33%

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

$0.50 ₦687

$2.30 €1.98

-78.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₦566

$1.72 €1.48

-75.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₦1,506

$4.01 €3.45

-72.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₦1,551

$3.11 €2.68

-63.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 ₦4,161

$1.17 €1.01

161.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ₦1,793

$1.61 €1.39

-18.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 ₦3,244

$2.16 €1.86

10.19%

Eggs

$1.57 ₦2,132

$3.55 €3.06

-55.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.39 ₦7,339

$12.00 €10.33

-55.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₦6,058

$7.32 €6.30

-39.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.88 ₦5,287

$11.13 €9.58

-65.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ₦4,222

$2.86 €2.46

8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,414

$1.50 €1.29

18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 ₦2,869

$1.47 €1.26

43.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ₦2,285

$2.74 €2.35

-38.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 ₦2,908

$2.22 €1.91

-3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₦3,447

$2.34 €2.02

8.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₦788

$1.62 €1.39

-64.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦427

$0.76 €0.66

-59.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ₦3,305

$6.07 €5.22

-59.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ₦7,741

$3.55 €3.06

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₦1,445

$1.44 €1.24

-26.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₦1,928

$2.58 €2.22

-44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₦877

$2.36 €2.03

-72.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.34 €36.42

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,234

$3.56 €3.06

-74.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ₦1,445

$0.85 €0.73

24.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 ₦5,991

$17.01 €14.64

-74.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₦1,132

$1.92 €1.65

-56.77%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

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

$39.8K €34.2K

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

$31.22 ₦42.5K

$115 €99.2

-72.93%

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

$10.68 ₦14.5K

$21.69 €18.65

-50.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.07 ₦57.3K

$44.29 €38.10

-5.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.35 ₦60.4K

$57.0 €49.02

-22.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.95 ₦14.9K

$29.40 €25.29

-62.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 ₦11.1K

$6.51 €5.60

25.35%

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

$133 ₦180.8K

$560 €482

-76.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,969 ₦2.7M

$7,347 €6,320

-73.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.33 ₦39.9K

$54.3 €46.74

-46.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.29 ₦38.5K

$23.72 €20.40

19.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ₦93.4K

$70.4 €60.6

-2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ₦115.5K

$68.4 €58.9

23.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ₦3.4M

$1,205 €1,037

106.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 ₦1.6M

$1,166 €1,003

0.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,456 ₦7.4M

$1,967 €1,692

177.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,666 ₦3.6M

$2,169 €1,866

22.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,106 ₦1.5M

$4,127 €3,550

-73.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$362 ₦493.6K

$5,015 €4,314

-92.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 ₦228.7K

$1,302 €1,120

-87.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

5.01

349.10%

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

Last update for Abuja: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lagos: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,485 in Abuja and $1,205 in Lagos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lagos pays 675% 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: $46.00 in Abuja vs $53.0 in Lagos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $246 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 Lagos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abuja and Lagos differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,700 vs $2,071 including rent). Abuja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lagos earns 675% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,485 in Abuja versus $1,205 in Lagos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $133 in Abuja versus $560 in Lagos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Abuja – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $53.0 in Lagos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,700 in Abuja versus $2,071 in Lagos, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Abuja but tight or insufficient in Lagos. The gap between the two cities makes Abuja 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 Lagos 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 Abuja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Lagos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.