Cost of Living Comparison Between Ife and Abuja Cost of Living Comparison Between Ife and Abuja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $738 in Ife versus $1,687 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Ife versus $2,850 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,630 in Ife versus $4,012 in Abuja.

Living in Ife costs roughly 56% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ife is 45% below, Abuja is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ₦3,870

$2.04 ₦2,812

37.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.94 ₦48.1K

$44.83 ₦61.7K

-22.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ₦7,541

$5.70 ₦7,846

-3.86%

Cappuccino

$0.78 ₦1,074

$2.54 ₦3,501

-69.29%

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

$0.50 ₦691

$0.55 ₦760

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₦358

$0.42 ₦573

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ₦1,312

$1.07 ₦1,478

-11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₦1,565

$1.19 ₦1,639

-4.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.03 ₦4,179

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₦1,004

$1.25 ₦1,725

-41.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₦2,401

$2.51 ₦3,457

-30.68%

Eggs

$2.34 ₦3,216

$1.50 ₦2,072

56.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 ₦6,375

$5.30 ₦7,292

-12.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 ₦6,969

$4.60 ₦6,335

10.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.27 ₦5,883

$3.94 ₦5,429

8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 ₦7,973

$3.07 ₦4,223

88.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,442

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ₦3,009

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 ₦2,398

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 ₦1,241

$2.16 ₦2,967

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 ₦1,571

$2.53 ₦3,486

-54.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₦835

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₦395

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₦3,390

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 ₦9,541

$7.09 ₦9,760

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₦1,518

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₦1,964

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₦504

$0.64 ₦883

-42.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,247

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ₦1,408

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 ₦5,901

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 ₦560

$0.77 ₦1,060

-46.75%

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

$30.15 ₦41.5K

$30.29 ₦41.7K

-0.46%

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

$5.92 ₦8,148

$10.91 ₦15.0K

-45.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.68 ₦65.6K

$42.37 ₦58.3K

12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.35 ₦32.2K

$43.96 ₦60.5K

-46.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.60 ₦14.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 ₦6,385

$8.26 ₦11.4K

-43.83%

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

$46.16 ₦63.6K

$132 ₦181.5K

-64.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$424 ₦583.2K

$1,979 ₦2.7M

-78.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.07 ₦31.8K

$29.71 ₦40.9K

-22.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 ₦47.5K

$29.33 ₦40.4K

17.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 ₦79.6K

$68.0 ₦93.7K

-15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ₦96.0K

$85.3 ₦117.4K

-18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 ₦806.7K

$2,487 ₦3.4M

-76.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ₦479.1K

$1,147 ₦1.6M

-69.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 ₦1.6M

$5,558 ₦7.7M

-79.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 ₦948.7K

$2,731 ₦3.8M

-74.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 ₦1.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 ₦1.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 ₦224.3K

$285 ₦392.1K

-42.80%

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 Ife: April 27, 2026

Last update for Abuja: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $586 in Ife and $2,487 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 75% 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: $35.00 in Ife vs $45.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $193 per month, with Ife 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

Ife vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ife and Abuja differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($738 vs $1,687 including rent). Ife is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Abuja earns 75% less. 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: $586 in Ife versus $2,487 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $46.16 in Ife versus $132 in Abuja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ife – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $738 in Ife versus $1,687 in Abuja, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ife but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Ife 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 Ife gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.