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: $1,661 in Abuja versus $1,146 in Lagos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,819 in Abuja versus $1,925 in Lagos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,976 in Abuja versus $2,704 in Lagos.

Living in Abuja is roughly 45% more expensive than in Lagos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 24% above, Lagos is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₦2,794

$2.55 ₦3,508

-20.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.41 ₦61.2K

$49.52 ₦68.2K

-10.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ₦7,714

$5.43 ₦7,487

3.13%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₦3,525

$2.18 ₦3,006

17.43%

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

$0.50 ₦695

$0.34 ₦466

47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦535

$0.22 ₦304

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₦1,534

$0.84 ₦1,163

32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₦1,560

$1.38 ₦1,902

-18.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 ₦4,305

$2.34 ₦3,220

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ₦1,798

$1.20 ₦1,657

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₦3,458

$2.33 ₦3,215

7.73%

Eggs

$1.56 ₦2,155

$1.75 ₦2,408

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.26 ₦7,252

$6.31 ₦8,692

-16.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 ₦6,367

$4.29 ₦5,918

7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 ₦5,508

$5.38 ₦7,413

-25.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ₦4,128

$3.53 ₦4,870

-15.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ₦2,419

$2.02 ₦2,782

-12.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ₦3,008

$2.18 ₦3,004

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ₦2,329

$2.41 ₦3,315

-29.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 ₦2,831

$2.30 ₦3,174

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₦3,368

$1.95 ₦2,684

25.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₦795

$1.92 ₦2,640

-69.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₦393

$0.36 ₦494

-19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₦3,390

$1.30 ₦1,788

89.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ₦7,545

$2.48 ₦3,411

120.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₦1,457

$0.63 ₦870

68.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₦1,998

$0.92 ₦1,275

57.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 ₦958

$0.74 ₦1,025

-5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.56 ₦50.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,254

$1.25 ₦1,721

-27.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ₦1,486

$2.25 ₦3,100

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 ₦6,092

$4.81 ₦6,628

-8.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₦1,118

$0.79 ₦1,085

2.53%

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

$20.5K ₦28.3M

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

$20.3K ₦28.0M

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

$30.08 ₦41.5K

$41.41 ₦57.1K

-27.36%

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

$10.81 ₦14.9K

$10.12 ₦13.9K

6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.89 ₦56.4K

$34.36 ₦47.4K

19.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 ₦60.7K

$31.49 ₦43.4K

39.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.63 ₦14.6K

$12.38 ₦17.1K

-14.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 ₦11.4K

$6.38 ₦8,794

29.62%

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

$133 ₦183.3K

$83.1 ₦114.6K

59.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,996 ₦2.8M

$2,314 ₦3.2M

-13.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.06 ₦41.4K

$19.39 ₦26.7K

55.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.56 ₦39.4K

$24.20 ₦33.3K

18.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 ₦93.6K

$65.7 ₦90.6K

3.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 ₦117.8K

$56.2 ₦77.4K

52.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 ₦3.3M

$1,083 ₦1.5M

123.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 ₦1.6M

$633 ₦872.3K

84.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,536 ₦7.6M

$2,698 ₦3.7M

105.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,634 ₦3.6M

$1,381 ₦1.9M

90.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 ₦947.9K

$3,219 ₦4.4M

-78.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$367 ₦506.4K

$1,598 ₦2.2M

-77.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 ₦229.2K

$118 ₦163.0K

40.58%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lagos: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,418 in Abuja and $1,083 in Lagos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 41% 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: $44.00 in Abuja vs $50.0 in Lagos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $192 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,661 vs $1,146 including rent). Lagos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Abuja, 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: $2,418 in Abuja versus $1,083 in Lagos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $133 in Abuja versus $83.1 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 $50.0 versus $44.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,146 in Lagos versus $1,661 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 45% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.