Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ikeja and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,586 a month against $2,415 in Ikeja, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 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
77

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index

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Ikeja

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$2,415

/mo nomad

Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,586

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ikeja and in Cape Town

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 Cape Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,415 per month in Ikeja vs $1,586 in Cape Town, rent included.

Ikeja $2,415
Cape Town $1,586

A couple spends around $4,119 per month in Ikeja vs $2,425 in Cape Town, rent included.

Ikeja $4,119
Cape Town $2,425

A family of three spends $5,822 per month in Ikeja vs $3,263 in Cape Town, rent included.

Ikeja $5,822
Cape Town $3,263

Ikeja costs about 52% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ikeja and Cape Town sit above the global median – Ikeja by 79%, Cape Town by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.50 ₦670

$12.14 R 200

-95.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.16 ₦14.8K

$45.34 R 747

-75.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 ₦10.2K

$5.88 R 96.9

30.78%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₦3,815

$2.50 R 41.18

14.80%

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

$0.13 ₦168

$1.27 R 20.94

-89.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.07 ₦91.8

$0.98 R 16.14

-92.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.29 ₦382

$2.99 R 49.33

-90.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₦2,731

$3.72 R 61.4

-44.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 ₦1,027

$1.30 R 21.40

-40.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₦975

$1.25 R 20.68

-41.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,675

$2.23 R 36.76

-43.50%

Eggs

$2.28 ₦3,026

$3.11 R 51.2

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.45 ₦4,591

$9.06 R 149

-61.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₦5,226

$6.92 R 114

-43.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.56 ₦6,067

$9.30 R 153

-50.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₦2,276

$1.84 R 30.25

-7.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₦1,709

$1.96 R 32.29

-34.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₦1,521

$1.67 R 27.45

-31.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₦1,692

$2.17 R 35.70

-41.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,824

$1.57 R 25.81

-12.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ₦1,792

$1.48 R 24.45

-8.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₦1,194

$1.30 R 21.41

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦491

$1.13 R 18.60

-67.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.59 ₦788

$3.60 R 59.3

-83.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.43 ₦3,227

$6.15 R 101

-60.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦725

$1.38 R 22.66

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦617

$2.14 R 35.20

-78.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 ₦141

$1.50 R 24.65

-92.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.41 ₦4,533

$60.8 R 1,001

-94.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 ₦942

$0.59 R 9.71

20.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ₦1,292

$1.50 R 24.65

-35.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₦2,873

$5.11 R 84.2

-57.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.16 ₦206

$1.55 R 25.50

-89.68%

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

$11.1K ₦14.8M

$36.2K R 596.5K

-69.33%

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

$13.5K ₦17.9M

$31.2K R 514.8K

-56.90%

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

$112 ₦149.5K

$114 R 1,883

-1.67%

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

$14.52 ₦19.3K

$28.91 R 476

-49.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 ₦43.9K

$39.73 R 654

-16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.01 R 808

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.99 R 181

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₦8,413

$9.15 R 151

-30.82%

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

$679 ₦902.6K

$259 R 4,264

162.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K ₦26.9M

$6,794 R 111.9K

197.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.93 ₦19.9K

$56.2 R 926

-73.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.29 ₦24.3K

$32.41 R 534

-43.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.31 ₦48.3K

$121 R 1,987

-69.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.50 ₦64.5K

$108 R 1,781

-55.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,485 ₦4.6M

$1,021 R 16.8K

241.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 ₦2.6M

$717 R 11.8K

177.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,487 ₦8.6M

$1,824 R 30.1K

255.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,007 ₦6.7M

$1,327 R 21.9K

277.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 R 39.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,542 R 25.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$74.2 ₦98.7K

$1,639 R 27.0K

-95.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

10.97

67.64%

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

Last update for Ikeja: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ikeja

$2K 82.4%

Cape Town

$717 45.2% 64% $1.3K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ikeja

$160 6.6%

Cape Town

$183 11.5% 14.4% $23

Groceries & Markets

Ikeja

$123 5.1%

Cape Town

$225 14.2% 82.2% $102

Eating Out

Ikeja

$68 2.8%

Cape Town

$176 11.1% 160% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Ikeja

$53 2.2%

Cape Town

$143 9% 169% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Ikeja

$13 * 0.5%

Cape Town

$67 4.2% 432% $55

Getting Around

Ikeja

$9.4 0.4%

Cape Town

$75 4.7% 696% $65

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,485 in Ikeja versus $1,021 in Cape Town. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2107% higher in Cape Town, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Ikeja versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $123 vs $225 – making Ikeja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Ikeja

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🕒 Local time

15:43 3:43 PM

16:43 4:43 PM

1 h ahead of Ikeja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

861,300

3,740,026 Capital

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, 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).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ikeja Cape Town 4,780 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ikeja
Cape Town

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 Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja costs about 52% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,623 per month in Ikeja and $2,379 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cape Town, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,415 in Ikeja and $1,586 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 52%.

Public transport costs about 1682% less in Cape Town. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cape Town, where all-in costs run around $1,586, than in Ikeja at $2,415. In Cape Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ikeja it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cape Town costs $1,586 versus $2,415 in Ikeja. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ikeja makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.