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 $1,123 in Lagos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,793 in Abuja versus $1,882 in Lagos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,886 in Abuja versus $2,641 in Lagos.

Living in Abuja is roughly 51% more expensive than Lagos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 27% above, Lagos is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₦2,684

$2.61 ₦3,551

-24.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.77 ₦62.3K

$49.01 ₦66.7K

-6.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₦7,732

$5.28 ₦7,193

7.58%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₦3,426

$2.17 ₦2,955

16.13%

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

$0.50 ₦687

$0.36 ₦492

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₦566

$0.22 ₦300

90.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₦1,506

$0.79 ₦1,078

40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₦1,551

$1.39 ₦1,897

-17.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 ₦4,161

$2.34 ₦3,183

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ₦1,793

$1.25 ₦1,698

5.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 ₦3,244

$2.23 ₦3,037

6.73%

Eggs

$1.57 ₦2,132

$1.68 ₦2,287

-6.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.39 ₦7,339

$6.15 ₦8,375

-12.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₦6,058

$4.29 ₦5,844

3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.88 ₦5,287

$5.25 ₦7,154

-26.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ₦4,222

$3.48 ₦4,742

-10.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,414

$2.06 ₦2,801

-14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 ₦2,869

$2.21 ₦3,011

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ₦2,285

$2.28 ₦3,105

-26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 ₦2,908

$2.40 ₦3,271

-10.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₦3,447

$2.02 ₦2,753

25.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₦788

$2.02 ₦2,746

-71.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦427

$0.39 ₦529

-20.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ₦3,305

$1.27 ₦1,727

91.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ₦7,741

$2.49 ₦3,397

128.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₦1,445

$0.63 ₦856

68.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₦1,928

$0.88 ₦1,196

61.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₦877

$0.69 ₦934

-7.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.96 ₦50.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,234

$1.25 ₦1,702

-27.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ₦1,445

$2.24 ₦3,048

-52.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 ₦5,991

$4.68 ₦6,368

-5.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₦1,132

$0.79 ₦1,070

5.06%

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

$20.2K ₦27.5M

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)

$31.22 ₦42.5K

$41.11 ₦56.0K

-24.06%

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

$10.68 ₦14.5K

$10.16 ₦13.8K

5.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.07 ₦57.3K

$33.75 ₦46.0K

24.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.35 ₦60.4K

$30.68 ₦41.8K

44.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.95 ₦14.9K

$12.80 ₦17.4K

-14.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 ₦11.1K

$6.30 ₦8,577

29.52%

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

$133 ₦180.8K

$84.5 ₦115.1K

57.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,969 ₦2.7M

$2,314 ₦3.2M

-14.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.33 ₦39.9K

$19.07 ₦26.0K

53.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.29 ₦38.5K

$24.51 ₦33.4K

15.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ₦93.4K

$65.0 ₦88.5K

5.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ₦115.5K

$57.7 ₦78.5K

47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ₦3.4M

$1,087 ₦1.5M

128.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 ₦1.6M

$632 ₦861.1K

84.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,456 ₦7.4M

$2,746 ₦3.7M

98.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,666 ₦3.6M

$1,347 ₦1.8M

97.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,106 ₦1.5M

$3,278 ₦4.5M

-66.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$362 ₦493.6K

$1,622 ₦2.2M

-77.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 ₦228.7K

$116 ₦158.0K

44.76%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lagos: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,485 in Abuja and $1,087 in Lagos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 45% 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 $49.00 in Lagos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $191 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,700 vs $1,123 including rent). Lagos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Abuja pays 45% more on average, 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: $2,485 in Abuja versus $1,087 in Lagos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $133 in Abuja versus $84.5 in Lagos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lagos – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $46.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,123 in Lagos versus $1,700 in Abuja, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lagos but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Lagos 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 Lagos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.