Cost of Living Comparison Between Ikeja and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ikeja and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,418 per month in Ikeja vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,099 per month in Ikeja vs $2,078 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,779 per month in Ikeja vs $2,896 in Phuket, rent included.

Ikeja costs about 92% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ikeja sits 76% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.53 ₦719

$4.43 ฿145

-88.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.99 ₦14.8K

$35.07 ฿1,151

-68.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 ₦9,653

$8.96 ฿294

-19.98%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₦3,801

$3.00 ฿98.4

-6.00%

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

$0.13 ₦181

$0.77 ฿25.33

-83.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.07 ₦90.9

$0.47 ฿15.44

-85.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.29 ₦387

$2.40 ฿78.6

-87.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₦2,636

$3.75 ฿123

-47.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₦976

$1.82 ฿59.8

-59.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₦1,018

$1.42 ฿46.65

-46.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ₦1,600

$1.55 ฿50.8

-23.23%

Eggs

$2.09 ₦2,819

$2.13 ฿69.9

-1.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.43 ₦4,621

$19.76 ฿648

-82.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 ₦5,060

$3.48 ฿114

8.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.51 ₦6,071

$11.09 ฿364

-59.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 ₦2,170

$2.91 ฿95.5

-44.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ₦1,646

$1.66 ฿54.6

-26.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₦1,521

$2.27 ฿74.5

-50.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₦1,751

$2.10 ฿68.8

-38.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,842

$1.47 ฿48.24

-6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ₦1,743

$1.41 ฿46.29

-8.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 ₦1,144

$1.09 ฿35.78

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₦479

$0.54 ฿17.58

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.57 ₦770

$4.48 ฿147

-87.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.61 ₦3,510

$18.72 ฿614

-86.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₦714

$1.84 ฿60.4

-71.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦619

$2.95 ฿96.7

-84.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 ₦135

$2.26 ฿74.1

-95.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.39 ₦4,560

$23.07 ฿757

-85.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₦906

$3.04 ฿99.9

-77.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 ₦1,205

$1.09 ฿35.82

-18.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₦2,914

$3.82 ฿125

-43.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.12 ₦165

$1.49 ฿48.79

-91.95%

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

$10.9K ₦14.6M

$27.4K ฿900.3K

-60.39%

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

$13.4K ₦18.1M

$27.5K ฿902.7K

-51.14%

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

$114 ₦153.2K

$102 ฿3,340

11.78%

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

$16.06 ₦21.6K

$11.28 ฿370

42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.98 ₦33.6K

$17.75 ฿582

40.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 ₦5,789

$7.85 ฿258

-45.22%

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

$681 ₦916.7K

$577 ฿18.9K

17.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ₦26.2M

$11.6K ฿381.6K

67.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.19 ₦19.1K

$65.4 ฿2,144

-78.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.03 ₦27.0K

$28.89 ฿948

-30.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.27 ₦47.5K

$99.1 ฿3,250

-64.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.7 ₦69.7K

$90.3 ฿2,961

-42.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,563 ₦4.8M

$756 ฿24.8K

371.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,968 ₦2.6M

$487 ฿16.0K

303.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,616 ₦8.9M

$2,085 ฿68.4K

217.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,016 ₦6.8M

$1,207 ฿39.6K

315.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$72.6 ₦97.7K

$502 ฿16.5K

-85.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.05

5.57

224.06%

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

Last update for Ikeja: August 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,563 in Ikeja versus $756 in Phuket. 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 592% higher in Phuket, 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 $35.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $120 vs $272 – making Ikeja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja costs about 92% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,627 per month in Ikeja and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 126% cheaper in Ikeja – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Ikeja and $35.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Ikeja at $2,418. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ikeja it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $2,418 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 Phuket. 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.