Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Maiduguri

For one person, living is cheaper in Maiduguri: $172 a month against $991 in Abuja, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Abuja
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Abuja Living Index

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Abuja

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$991

/mo nomad

Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$172

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abuja and in Maiduguri

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Abuja versus $172 in Maiduguri.

Abuja $991
Maiduguri $172

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Abuja versus $287 in Maiduguri.

Abuja $1,872
Maiduguri $287

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,753 in Abuja versus $403 in Maiduguri.

Abuja $2,753
Maiduguri $403

Living in Abuja is roughly 476% more expensive than in Maiduguri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abuja 27% lower, Maiduguri 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ₦2,611

$0.50 ₦673

288.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ₦40.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₦5,483

$1.91 ₦2,566

113.61%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ₦4,415

$0.92 ₦1,233

256.52%

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

$0.43 ₦575

$0.27 ₦366

59.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₦959

$0.21 ₦288

238.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₦1,306

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₦2,656

Milk (1 liter)

$3.59 ₦4,830

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₦1,737

$1.02 ₦1,366

26.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₦3,058

$2.01 ₦2,708

12.94%

Eggs

$1.81 ₦2,428

$1.78 ₦2,391

1.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 ₦14.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₦7,189

$5.04 ₦6,784

6.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 ₦7,822

$4.11 ₦5,524

41.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₦2,785

$4.04 ₦5,437

-48.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₦2,013

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,046

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,078

$1.03 ₦1,382

122.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₦2,401

$1.53 ₦2,064

16.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₦3,335

$0.99 ₦1,325

150.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₦797

$0.42 ₦559

40.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦528

$0.31 ₦418

25.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ₦2,633

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ₦7,845

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₦1,610

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₦2,492

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₦622

$0.38 ₦514

21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.58 ₦43.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₦826

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₦1,090

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₦2,482

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 ₦768

$0.25 ₦333

128.00%

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

$26.1K ₦35.1M

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

$37.3K ₦50.2M

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

$110 ₦148.3K

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

$6.48 ₦8,717

$7.90 ₦10.6K

-17.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.14 ₦39.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.74 ₦34.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.62 ₦12.9K

$7.89 ₦10.6K

21.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₦8,485

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

$44.68 ₦60.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,103 ₦4.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.03 ₦35.0K

$19.77 ₦26.6K

31.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₦81.7K

$18.04 ₦24.3K

236.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₦102.9K

$25.04 ₦33.7K

205.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₦141.8K

$25.48 ₦34.3K

313.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₦792.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ₦467.4K

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 ₦940.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$378 ₦508.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 ₦218.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

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

Last update for Abuja: October 24, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Abuja

$348 35.1%

Maiduguri

–

Groceries & Markets

Abuja

$218 22%

Maiduguri

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abuja

$146 14.7%

Maiduguri

–

Clothing & Footwear

Abuja

$121 12.2%

Maiduguri

–

Eating Out

Abuja

$81 8.1%

Maiduguri

–

Getting Around

Abuja

$39 4%

Maiduguri

–

Sport & Entertainment

Abuja

$38 3.9%

Maiduguri

–

Good to know

🇳🇬 Abuja

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🕒 Local time

10:50 10:50 AM

Same time as Abuja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

776,298 Capital

1,197,497

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.66 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Abuja Maiduguri 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Abuja
Maiduguri

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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $991 in Abuja and $172 in Maiduguri, so Maiduguri is about 83% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,486 in Abuja and $258 in Maiduguri 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Abuja. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $991 per month in Abuja versus $172 in Maiduguri – Maiduguri is about 83% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.