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: $1,056 in Ikeja versus $1,671 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,641 in Ikeja versus $2,827 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,227 in Ikeja versus $3,983 in Abuja.

Living in Ikeja costs roughly 37% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ikeja is 21% below, Abuja is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 ₦2,024

$2.02 ₦2,725

-25.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.42 ₦43.7K

$44.88 ₦60.5K

-27.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ₦7,096

$5.56 ₦7,500

-5.40%

Cappuccino

$2.20 ₦2,962

$2.42 ₦3,262

-9.09%

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

$0.34 ₦456

$0.52 ₦700

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₦270

$0.41 ₦557

-51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ₦1,140

$1.06 ₦1,427

-19.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₦1,947

$1.19 ₦1,612

21.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₦2,853

$3.10 ₦4,176

-31.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₦1,674

$1.26 ₦1,696

-1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ₦3,144

$2.41 ₦3,257

-3.32%

Eggs

$1.76 ₦2,370

$1.56 ₦2,100

12.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 ₦8,432

$5.18 ₦6,988

20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₦5,608

$4.53 ₦6,115

-8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.30 ₦7,154

$3.90 ₦5,261

35.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 ₦4,851

$2.96 ₦3,988

21.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₦2,742

$1.77 ₦2,385

14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 ₦2,833

$2.19 ₦2,956

-4.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₦3,192

$1.75 ₦2,357

35.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ₦3,206

$2.08 ₦2,808

14.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 ₦2,706

$2.45 ₦3,305

-17.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₦2,693

$0.61 ₦823

227.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₦477

$0.31 ₦419

12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ₦1,705

$2.56 ₦3,457

-50.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.14 ₦4,232

$7.40 ₦9,977

-57.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₦857

$1.10 ₦1,486

-41.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₦1,276

$1.40 ₦1,894

-32.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₦425

$0.69 ₦936

-55.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.91 ₦13.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ₦1,667

$0.87 ₦1,172

42.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 ₦2,899

$1.04 ₦1,399

106.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 ₦6,221

$4.34 ₦5,852

6.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 ₦515

$0.82 ₦1,111

-53.66%

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

$20.2K ₦27.2M

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

$20.9K ₦28.2M

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

$41.16 ₦55.5K

$30.67 ₦41.4K

34.20%

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

$10.05 ₦13.6K

$10.93 ₦14.7K

-8.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.91 ₦45.7K

$41.27 ₦55.7K

-17.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.29 ₦59.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ₦14.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ₦8,728

$8.45 ₦11.4K

-23.43%

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

$83.2 ₦112.2K

$135 ₦181.9K

-38.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,341 ₦3.2M

$1,940 ₦2.6M

20.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.37 ₦26.1K

$30.00 ₦40.5K

-35.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ₦33.4K

$28.55 ₦38.5K

-13.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 ₦85.5K

$69.1 ₦93.3K

-8.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ₦78.4K

$87.2 ₦117.7K

-33.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₦1.1M

$2,485 ₦3.4M

-65.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₦827.9K

$1,149 ₦1.5M

-46.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ₦2.6M

$5,469 ₦7.4M

-65.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 ₦1.6M

$2,705 ₦3.6M

-55.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 ₦1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,135 ₦1.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$126 ₦169.6K

$283 ₦381.6K

-55.55%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Abuja: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $845 in Ikeja and $2,485 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 125% 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: $32 in Ikeja vs $45 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $193 per month, with Ikeja 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

Ikeja vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja and Abuja differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,056 vs $1,671 including rent). Ikeja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Abuja earns 125% 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: $845 in Ikeja versus $2,485 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $83.2 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 $32.00 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,056 in Ikeja versus $1,671 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 58% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.