Cost of Living Comparison Between Ikeja and Abuja Cost of Living Comparison Between Ikeja and Abuja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,060 in Ikeja versus $1,697 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,652 in Ikeja versus $2,862 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,243 in Ikeja versus $4,027 in Abuja.

Living in Ikeja costs roughly 38% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ikeja is 21% below, Abuja is 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.54 ₦2,097

$2.01 ₦2,741

-23.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.13 ₦45.2K

$45.34 ₦61.8K

-26.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ₦7,146

$5.61 ₦7,641

-6.60%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₦2,974

$2.53 ₦3,451

-13.83%

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

$0.36 ₦495

$0.56 ₦758

-35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₦272

$0.42 ₦570

-52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ₦1,067

$1.06 ₦1,448

-26.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₦1,870

$1.18 ₦1,614

16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ₦2,894

$3.05 ₦4,159

-30.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₦1,615

$1.24 ₦1,693

-4.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ₦3,179

$2.51 ₦3,420

-7.17%

Eggs

$1.77 ₦2,411

$1.52 ₦2,069

16.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.31 ₦8,599

$5.15 ₦7,016

22.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 ₦5,620

$4.40 ₦5,995

-6.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.43 ₦7,397

$3.80 ₦5,184

42.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ₦4,843

$2.99 ₦4,074

18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 ₦2,741

$1.73 ₦2,356

16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ₦2,959

$2.17 ₦2,956

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 ₦3,274

$1.77 ₦2,412

35.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,123

$2.05 ₦2,792

11.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₦2,650

$2.51 ₦3,422

-22.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₦2,696

$0.56 ₦765

253.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₦489

$0.29 ₦391

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.31 ₦1,782

$2.56 ₦3,488

-48.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.56 ₦3,495

$5.48 ₦7,466

-53.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₦921

$1.06 ₦1,443

-35.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₦1,288

$1.40 ₦1,908

-32.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₦467

$0.66 ₦898

-48.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.91 ₦13.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₦1,623

$0.87 ₦1,185

36.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 ₦2,909

$1.03 ₦1,408

106.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 ₦6,341

$4.44 ₦6,047

4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.39 ₦528

$0.83 ₦1,131

-53.01%

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

$20.5K ₦27.9M

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

$20.7K ₦28.2M

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

$41.90 ₦57.1K

$30.24 ₦41.2K

38.56%

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

$10.30 ₦14.0K

$11.00 ₦15.0K

-6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.23 ₦46.6K

$41.17 ₦56.1K

-16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.70 ₦62.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.86 ₦14.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₦8,783

$8.24 ₦11.2K

-21.72%

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

$84.2 ₦114.8K

$135 ₦184.6K

-37.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,291 ₦3.1M

$1,974 ₦2.7M

16.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ₦25.9K

$29.64 ₦40.4K

-35.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 ₦34.1K

$29.09 ₦39.6K

-14.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 ₦89.7K

$67.8 ₦92.4K

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₦78.7K

$85.9 ₦117.0K

-32.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 ₦1.1M

$2,454 ₦3.3M

-65.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₦814.2K

$1,151 ₦1.6M

-48.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 ₦2.6M

$5,460 ₦7.4M

-64.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ₦1.6M

$2,655 ₦3.6M

-54.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$692 ₦943.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 ₦484.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$71.1 ₦96.9K

$164 ₦223.4K

-56.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

22.5

-27.42%

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

Last update for Ikeja: July 21, 2026

Last update for Abuja: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $840 in Ikeja and $2,454 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 130% 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: $33.00 in Ikeja vs $45.00 in Abuja. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $187, with Abuja cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ikeja vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja and Abuja differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,060 vs $1,697 including rent). Ikeja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 130% lower in Abuja. 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: $840 in Ikeja versus $2,454 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $84.2 in Ikeja versus $135 in Abuja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ikeja – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,060 in Ikeja versus $1,697 in Abuja, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ikeja but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Ikeja 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.

Safety-wise, Ikeja and Abuja are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ikeja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.