Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Port Harcourt

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Harcourt: $392 a month against $991 in Abuja, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 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

$991

/mo nomad

Port Harcourt

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$392

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abuja and in Port Harcourt

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Abuja versus $392 in Port Harcourt.

Abuja $991
Port Harcourt $392

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Abuja versus $815 in Port Harcourt.

Abuja $1,872
Port Harcourt $815

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,753 in Abuja versus $1,238 in Port Harcourt.

Abuja $2,753
Port Harcourt $1,238

Living in Abuja is roughly 153% more expensive than in Port Harcourt, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abuja 27% lower, Port Harcourt 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ₦2,611

$2.04 ₦2,745

-4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ₦40.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₦5,483

$4.82 ₦6,483

-15.35%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ₦4,415

$1.61 ₦2,170

103.73%

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

$0.43 ₦575

$0.60 ₦807

-28.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₦959

$0.65 ₦879

9.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₦1,306

$1.44 ₦1,939

-32.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₦2,656

$3.03 ₦4,069

-34.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.59 ₦4,830

$2.60 ₦3,496

38.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₦1,737

$0.91 ₦1,220

41.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₦3,058

$3.26 ₦4,384

-30.37%

Eggs

$1.81 ₦2,428

$1.76 ₦2,369

2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 ₦14.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₦7,189

$1.88 ₦2,525

184.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 ₦7,822

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₦2,785

$2.46 ₦3,308

-15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₦2,013

$2.23 ₦2,997

-32.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,046

$1.83 ₦2,462

-16.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,078

$3.06 ₦4,109

-25.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₦2,401

$2.22 ₦2,983

-19.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₦3,335

$1.53 ₦2,056

62.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₦797

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦528

$0.62 ₦835

-37.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ₦2,633

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ₦7,845

$5.28 ₦7,106

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₦1,610

$0.72 ₦972

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₦2,492

$1.46 ₦1,967

26.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₦622

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.58 ₦43.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₦826

$0.36 ₦478

69.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₦1,090

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₦2,482

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 ₦768

$0.58 ₦783

-1.72%

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

$30.24 ₦40.7K

264.62%

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

$6.48 ₦8,717

$3.82 ₦5,138

69.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.14 ₦39.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.74 ₦34.6K

$14.22 ₦19.1K

81.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.62 ₦12.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₦8,485

$4.07 ₦5,467

55.04%

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

$44.68 ₦60.1K

$24.79 ₦33.3K

80.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,103 ₦4.2M

$788 ₦1.1M

293.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.03 ₦35.0K

$6.85 ₦9,210

280.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₦81.7K

$11.43 ₦15.4K

431.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₦102.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₦141.8K

$15.09 ₦20.3K

598.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₦792.6K

$151 ₦203.3K

289.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ₦467.4K

$104 ₦140.5K

232.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 ₦1.9M

$1,131 ₦1.5M

24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₦1.8M

$499 ₦670.7K

169.92%

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

$55.8 ₦75.0K

190.84%

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 Port Harcourt: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Abuja

$348 35.1%

Port Harcourt

–

Groceries & Markets

Abuja

$218 22%

Port Harcourt

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abuja

$146 14.7%

Port Harcourt

–

Clothing & Footwear

Abuja

$121 12.2%

Port Harcourt

–

Eating Out

Abuja

$81 8.1%

Port Harcourt

–

Getting Around

Abuja

$39 4%

Port Harcourt

–

Sport & Entertainment

Abuja

$38 3.9%

Port Harcourt

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Abuja and $151 in Port Harcourt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays about 2.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $30 in Abuja vs $30 in Port Harcourt. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $147, with Port Harcourt cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Abuja

🇳🇬 Port Harcourt

🕒 Local time

20:52 8:52 PM

Same time as Abuja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

776,298 Capital

1,382,592

💱 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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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 Port Harcourt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $991 in Abuja and $392 in Port Harcourt, so Port Harcourt is about 60% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Abuja is about 2.9 times higher, 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: $589 in Abuja versus $151 in Port Harcourt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $45 in Abuja versus $25 in Port Harcourt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $991 per month in Abuja versus $392 in Port Harcourt – Port Harcourt is about 60% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Port Harcourt gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Port Harcourt wins on affordability, Abuja on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.