Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ikeja and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $2,415 in Ikeja, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ikeja outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

118

Cost of Living Index in Ikeja
Learn more

Ikeja Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Ikeja

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$2,415

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ikeja and in Phuket

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

A single person spends $2,415 per month in Ikeja vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Ikeja $2,415
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $4,119 per month in Ikeja vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Ikeja $4,119
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $5,822 per month in Ikeja vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Ikeja $5,822
Phuket $2,867

Ikeja costs about 100% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ikeja sits 79% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.50 ₦670

$4.58 ฿153

-89.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.16 ₦14.8K

$32.48 ฿1,086

-65.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 ₦10.2K

$8.55 ฿286

-10.06%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₦3,815

$2.72 ฿91.0

5.51%

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

$0.13 ₦168

$0.94 ฿31.25

-86.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.07 ₦91.8

$0.49 ฿16.39

-85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.29 ₦382

$2.59 ฿86.6

-88.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₦2,731

$3.83 ฿128

-46.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 ₦1,027

$1.74 ฿58.1

-55.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₦975

$1.43 ฿47.82

-48.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,675

$1.53 ฿51.0

-17.65%

Eggs

$2.28 ₦3,026

$2.17 ฿72.7

5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.45 ₦4,591

$19.15 ฿640

-81.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₦5,226

$3.30 ฿110

19.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.56 ₦6,067

$11.14 ฿372

-59.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₦2,276

$2.95 ฿98.5

-42.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₦1,709

$1.68 ฿56.1

-23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₦1,521

$2.30 ฿76.8

-50.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₦1,692

$2.13 ฿71.3

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,824

$1.53 ฿51.1

-10.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ₦1,792

$1.36 ฿45.55

-0.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₦1,194

$1.12 ฿37.44

-19.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦491

$0.55 ฿18.24

-32.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.59 ₦788

$4.26 ฿142

-86.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.43 ₦3,227

$18.19 ฿608

-86.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₦725

$1.74 ฿58.2

-68.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦617

$2.79 ฿93.3

-83.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 ₦141

$2.22 ฿74.1

-95.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.41 ₦4,533

$22.06 ฿737

-84.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 ₦942

$2.91 ฿97.3

-75.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ₦1,292

$1.01 ฿33.79

-3.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₦2,873

$3.83 ฿128

-43.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.16 ₦206

$1.49 ฿49.85

-89.26%

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

$11.1K ₦14.8M

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-58.37%

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

$13.5K ₦17.9M

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-49.58%

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

$112 ₦149.5K

$99.4 ฿3,321

13.12%

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

$14.52 ₦19.3K

$11.28 ฿377

28.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 ₦43.9K

$17.36 ฿580

90.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₦8,413

$7.57 ฿253

-16.38%

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

$679 ₦902.6K

$558 ฿18.7K

21.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K ₦26.9M

$11.5K ฿383.9K

75.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.93 ₦19.9K

$62.9 ฿2,102

-76.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.29 ₦24.3K

$28.58 ฿955

-36.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.31 ₦48.3K

$96.1 ฿3,213

-62.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.50 ₦64.5K

$88.1 ฿2,943

-44.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,485 ₦4.6M

$729 ฿24.4K

377.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 ₦2.6M

$460 ฿15.4K

332.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,487 ₦8.6M

$2,096 ฿70.0K

209.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,007 ₦6.7M

$1,222 ฿40.8K

309.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$74.2 ₦98.7K

$493 ฿16.5K

-84.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

5.57

230.16%

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

Last update for Ikeja: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ikeja

$2K 82.4%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 76.9% $1.5K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ikeja

$160 6.6%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 20% $32

Groceries & Markets

Ikeja

$123 5.1%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 117% $144

Eating Out

Ikeja

$68 2.8%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 78.8% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Ikeja

$53 2.2%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 134% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Ikeja

$13 * 0.5%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 433% $55

Getting Around

Ikeja

$9.4 0.4%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 314% $29

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 $729 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 564% 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 $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $123 vs $268 – making Ikeja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Ikeja

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

12:49 12:49 PM

18:49 6:49 PM

6 h ahead of Ikeja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

861,300

79,308

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, 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).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ikeja Phuket 10,460 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Ikeja
Phuket

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja costs about 100% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $1,811 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 117% 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 $32.00 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 $1,207, than in Ikeja at $2,415. 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 $1,207 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 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.