Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Makurdi

For one person, living is cheaper in Makurdi: $12.12 a month against $1,087 in Abuja, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$1,087

/mo nomad

Makurdi

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$12.12

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abuja and in Makurdi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Abuja versus $12.12 in Makurdi.

Abuja $1,087
Makurdi $12.12

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,937 in Abuja versus $17.15 in Makurdi.

Abuja $1,937
Makurdi $17.15

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Abuja versus $22 in Makurdi.

Abuja $2,786
Makurdi $22

Living in Abuja is roughly 8870% more expensive than in Makurdi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abuja 20% lower, Makurdi 99% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₦2,771

$0.38 ₦511

444.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.92 ₦40.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₦5,255

$1.82 ₦2,433

115.93%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ₦4,497

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

$0.43 ₦575

$0.08 ₦107

437.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₦887

$0.07 ₦96.8

842.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₦1,330

$0.35 ₦474

182.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₦2,643

$0.61 ₦817

224.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.61 ₦4,821

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₦1,699

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ₦2,905

Eggs

$1.79 ₦2,399

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ₦15.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 ₦7,180

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.06 ₦8,100

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₦2,672

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ₦1,973

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ₦1,961

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₦3,105

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 ₦2,465

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₦3,320

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₦800

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₦484

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 ₦2,612

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 ₦7,615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₦1,583

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₦2,468

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₦622

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.00 ₦42.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 ₦838

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₦1,056

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₦2,454

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 ₦714

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

$26.1K ₦34.9M

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

$36.4K ₦48.7M

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

$111 ₦148.6K

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

$6.54 ₦8,743

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.96 ₦38.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.73 ₦43.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 ₦12.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 ₦8,390

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

$45.02 ₦60.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,561 ₦7.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.67 ₦34.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 ₦79.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 ₦103.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₦142.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₦1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ₦583.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,673 ₦3.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 ₦1.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$695 ₦929.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$371 ₦496.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 ₦222.4K

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Makurdi: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Abuja

$436 40.1%

Makurdi

–

Groceries & Markets

Abuja

$218 20%

Makurdi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abuja

$147 13.5%

Makurdi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Abuja

$121 11.1%

Makurdi

–

Eating Out

Abuja

$82 7.5%

Makurdi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Abuja

$45 4.2%

Makurdi

–

Getting Around

Abuja

$38 3.5%

Makurdi

–

Good to know

🇳🇬 Abuja

🇳🇬 Makurdi

🕒 Local time

20:23 8:23 PM

Same time as Abuja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

776,298 Capital

500,797

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.64 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Makurdi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,087 in Abuja and $12.12 in Makurdi, so Makurdi is about 99% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,631 in Abuja and $18.18 in Makurdi 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.

At $12.12 in Makurdi versus $1,087 in Abuja, a $800 budget is realistic in Makurdi but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Makurdi 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.