Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibadan and Lagos

For one person, living is cheaper in Ibadan: $251 a month against $952 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

12

Cost of Living Index in Ibadan
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Ibadan Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Lagos
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Lagos Living Index

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Ibadan

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$251

/mo nomad

Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$952

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ibadan and in Lagos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ibadan and in Lagos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $251 in Ibadan versus $952 in Lagos.

Ibadan $251
Lagos $952

Estimated couple costs with rent: $558 in Ibadan versus $1,852 in Lagos.

Ibadan $558
Lagos $1,852

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $865 in Ibadan versus $2,753 in Lagos.

Ibadan $865
Lagos $2,753

Living in Ibadan costs roughly 74% less than in Lagos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibadan 82% lower, Lagos 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.10 ₦1,471

$3.62 ₦4,851

-69.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ₦40.0K

$50.7 ₦67.9K

-41.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 ₦8,127

$7.67 ₦10.3K

-20.99%

Cappuccino

$0.78 ₦1,046

$2.82 ₦3,778

-72.34%

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

$0.22 ₦295

$0.43 ₦578

-48.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₦179

$0.24 ₦324

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 ₦715

$0.97 ₦1,305

-45.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₦1,545

$1.95 ₦2,619

-41.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 ₦782

$3.20 ₦4,293

-81.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₦798

$1.49 ₦1,997

-59.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ₦1,478

$1.26 ₦1,692

-12.70%

Eggs

$1.57 ₦2,102

$2.27 ₦3,044

-30.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.62 ₦4,857

$3.42 ₦4,587

5.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ₦5,129

$3.77 ₦5,050

1.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$0.72 ₦962

$4.36 ₦5,843

-83.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₦2,203

$1.63 ₦2,187

0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₦1,696

$1.33 ₦1,779

-4.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₦1,464

$1.13 ₦1,514

-3.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 ₦388

$1.49 ₦1,999

-80.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₦769

$1.61 ₦2,158

-64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.23 ₦308

$1.52 ₦2,037

-84.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.21 ₦281

$0.89 ₦1,190

-76.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₦159

$0.40 ₦531

-70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.58 ₦781

$0.55 ₦735

5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.11 ₦1,484

$2.37 ₦3,179

-53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₦531

$0.54 ₦719

-25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦669

$0.50 ₦666

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₦187

$0.38 ₦512

-63.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.99 ₦29.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 ₦884

$0.70 ₦934

-5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₦825

$0.97 ₦1,296

-36.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₦1,523

$2.10 ₦2,821

-45.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 ₦759

$0.85 ₦1,137

-32.94%

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

$4,183 ₦5.6M

$11.3K ₦15.2M

-63.01%

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

$29.0K ₦38.8M

$29.0K ₦38.9M

-0.08%

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

$11.37 ₦15.2K

$112 ₦149.6K

-89.82%

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

$3.83 ₦5,129

$14.92 ₦20.0K

-74.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.60 ₦11.5K

$32.44 ₦43.5K

-73.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.27 ₦28.5K

$27.80 ₦37.3K

-23.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ₦9,263

Cinema Ticket

$1.47 ₦1,973

$6.23 ₦8,350

-76.40%

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

$48.34 ₦64.8K

$654 ₦876.4K

-92.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$622 ₦833.1K

$20.1K ₦26.9M

-96.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.76 ₦15.8K

$14.83 ₦19.9K

-20.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$5.62 ₦7,529

$17.94 ₦24.0K

-68.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$14.86 ₦19.9K

$36.62 ₦49.1K

-59.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.99 ₦28.1K

$47.49 ₦63.6K

-55.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 ₦165.0K

$704 ₦943.8K

-82.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$45.67 ₦61.2K

$417 ₦559.5K

-89.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 ₦594.5K

$2,809 ₦3.8M

-84.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₦392.4K

$1,498 ₦2.0M

-80.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$849 ₦1.1M

$3,242 ₦4.3M

-73.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$30.37 ₦40.7K

$1,607 ₦2.2M

-98.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$57.7 ₦77.3K

$118 ₦157.9K

-51.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

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

Last update for Ibadan: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lagos: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ibadan

$86 34.3%

Lagos

$156 16.4% 81.5% $70

Accommodation & Living

Ibadan

$46 18.2%

Lagos

$417 43.9% 814% $372

Eating Out

Ibadan

$43 17.1%

Lagos

$97 10.2% 128% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Ibadan

$24 9.7%

Lagos

$40 4.2% 66.3% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Ibadan

$24 9.6%

Lagos

$53 5.5% 120% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ibadan

$24 9.5%

Lagos

$159 16.7% 568% $135

Getting Around

Ibadan

$4.3 * 1.7%

Lagos

$29 3.1% 577% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in Ibadan and $704 in Lagos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lagos pays about 2 times 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: $30 in Ibadan vs $51 in Lagos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $86 vs $156 per month, with Ibadan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Ibadan

🇳🇬 Lagos

🕒 Local time

21:09 9:09 PM

Same time as Ibadan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,034,200

10,404,112

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ibadan Lagos 120 km

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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

Ibadan vs Lagos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibadan wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Lagos. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ibadan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Ibadan. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $123 in Ibadan versus $704 in Lagos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $48 in Ibadan versus $654 in Lagos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibadan – a meal for two runs $30 versus $51 in Lagos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $251 in Ibadan versus $952 in Lagos, a $800 budget is realistic in Ibadan but tight or insufficient in Lagos. The gap between the two cities makes Ibadan 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.

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