Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ikeja and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,340 a month against $2,415 in Ikeja, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ikeja outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

118

Cost of Living Index in Ikeja
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Ikeja Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Ikeja

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$2,415

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ikeja and in Bucharest

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,415 in Ikeja versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

Ikeja $2,415
Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,119 in Ikeja versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

Ikeja $4,119
Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,822 in Ikeja versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

Ikeja $5,822
Bucharest $2,734

Living in Ikeja is roughly 80% more expensive than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ikeja is 79% above, Bucharest is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.50 ₦670

$14.49 RON 68.6

-96.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.16 ₦14.8K

$58.1 RON 275

-80.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 ₦10.2K

$7.48 RON 35.40

2.81%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₦3,815

$3.44 RON 16.29

-16.57%

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

$0.13 ₦168

$2.37 RON 11.22

-94.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.07 ₦91.8

$2.30 RON 10.88

-96.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.29 ₦382

$3.70 RON 17.51

-92.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₦2,731

$4.16 RON 19.69

-50.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 ₦1,027

$1.67 RON 7.90

-53.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₦975

$1.37 RON 6.50

-46.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,675

$1.72 RON 8.14

-26.74%

Eggs

$2.28 ₦3,026

$3.64 RON 17.22

-37.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.45 ₦4,591

$9.08 RON 42.98

-62.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₦5,226

$6.84 RON 32.35

-42.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.56 ₦6,067

$12.00 RON 56.8

-62.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₦2,276

$1.23 RON 5.80

39.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₦1,709

$1.63 RON 7.73

-21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₦1,521

$1.57 RON 7.45

-27.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₦1,692

$2.54 RON 12.01

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,824

$0.79 RON 3.75

73.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ₦1,792

$0.77 RON 3.66

75.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₦1,194

$0.87 RON 4.13

3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦491

$0.99 RON 4.70

-62.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.59 ₦788

$6.31 RON 29.86

-90.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.43 ₦3,227

$6.20 RON 29.34

-60.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦725

$1.19 RON 5.63

-54.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦617

$1.57 RON 7.45

-70.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 ₦141

$0.86 RON 4.08

-87.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.41 ₦4,533

$21.10 RON 99.8

-83.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 ₦942

$0.64 RON 3.05

10.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ₦1,292

$0.60 RON 2.86

61.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₦2,873

$6.43 RON 30.43

-66.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.16 ₦206

$1.96 RON 9.25

-91.84%

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

$11.1K ₦14.8M

$29.0K RON 137.2K

-61.70%

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

$13.5K ₦17.9M

$26.6K RON 126.0K

-49.44%

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

$112 ₦149.5K

$196 RON 927

-42.62%

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

$14.52 ₦19.3K

$8.04 RON 38.04

80.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 ₦43.9K

$9.35 RON 44.21

253.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₦8,413

$8.15 RON 38.55

-22.33%

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

$679 ₦902.6K

$628 RON 2,971

8.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K ₦26.9M

$14.1K RON 66.6K

43.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.93 ₦19.9K

$89.6 RON 424

-83.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.29 ₦24.3K

$38.32 RON 181

-52.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.31 ₦48.3K

$79.3 RON 375

-54.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.50 ₦64.5K

$90.4 RON 428

-46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,485 ₦4.6M

$678 RON 3,209

413.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 ₦2.6M

$448 RON 2,121

343.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,487 ₦8.6M

$1,083 RON 5,125

498.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,007 ₦6.7M

$725 RON 3,430

590.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$74.2 ₦98.7K

$1,329 RON 6,290

-94.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

6.75

172.44%

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

Last update for Ikeja: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ikeja

$2K 82.4%

Bucharest

$448 33.5% 77.5% $1.5K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ikeja

$160 6.6%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 33.3% $53

Groceries & Markets

Ikeja

$123 5.1%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 82.4% $102

Eating Out

Ikeja

$68 2.8%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 232% $157

Clothing & Footwear

Ikeja

$53 2.2%

Bucharest

$134 10% 152% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Ikeja

$13 * 0.5%

Bucharest

$67 5% 426% $54

Getting Around

Ikeja

$9.4 0.4%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 200% $19

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 $3,485 in Ikeja and $678 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 1691% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Ikeja vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $225 per month, with Ikeja cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Ikeja

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

16:10 4:10 PM

18:10 6:10 PM

2 h ahead of Ikeja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

861,300

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ikeja Bucharest 4,750 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ikeja
Bucharest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja and Bucharest differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($2,415 vs $1,340 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1691% lower in Bucharest. 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: $3,485 in Ikeja versus $678 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,415 per month in Ikeja versus $1,340 in Bucharest – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 519% less than in Ikeja. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,340 in Bucharest versus $2,415 in Ikeja, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Ikeja. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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 Bucharest 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Ikeja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.