Cost of Living Comparison Between Kano and Abuja Cost of Living Comparison Between Kano and Abuja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Kano versus $1,687 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $874 in Kano versus $2,850 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,190 in Kano versus $4,012 in Abuja.

Living in Kano costs roughly 67% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kano is 58% below, Abuja is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 ₦4,741

$2.04 ₦2,812

68.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.55 ₦14.5K

$44.83 ₦61.7K

-76.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 ₦7,557

$5.70 ₦7,846

-3.68%

Cappuccino

$4.83 ₦6,645

$2.54 ₦3,501

90.16%

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

$0.40 ₦552

$0.55 ₦760

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦532

$0.42 ₦573

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ₦1,178

$1.07 ₦1,478

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₦1,231

$1.19 ₦1,639

-25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.44 ₦4,735

$3.03 ₦4,179

13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ₦2,684

$1.25 ₦1,725

56.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₦3,126

$2.51 ₦3,457

-9.56%

Eggs

$2.11 ₦2,905

$1.50 ₦2,072

40.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 ₦7,292

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 ₦6,335

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.94 ₦5,429

Apples (1kg)

$7.19 ₦9,900

$3.07 ₦4,223

134.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ₦2,299

$1.77 ₦2,442

-5.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 ₦1,644

$2.19 ₦3,009

-45.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₦1,652

$1.74 ₦2,398

-31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ₦3,178

$2.16 ₦2,967

6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₦4,813

$2.53 ₦3,486

38.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 ₦461

$0.61 ₦835

-44.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₦676

$0.29 ₦395

68.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₦3,390

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 ₦9,760

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₦1,518

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₦1,167

$1.43 ₦1,964

-40.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ₦1,165

$0.64 ₦883

32.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.78 ₦50.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,247

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ₦1,408

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 ₦5,901

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 ₦577

$0.77 ₦1,060

-45.45%

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

$12.11 ₦16.7K

$30.29 ₦41.7K

-60.02%

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

$10.91 ₦15.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.57 ₦26.9K

$42.37 ₦58.3K

-53.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.65 ₦46.3K

$43.96 ₦60.5K

-23.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.60 ₦14.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 ₦6,528

$8.26 ₦11.4K

-42.62%

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

$35.02 ₦48.2K

$132 ₦181.5K

-73.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,979 ₦2.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.71 ₦40.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.33 ₦40.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ₦93.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 ₦117.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₦656.6K

$2,487 ₦3.4M

-80.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₦246.4K

$1,147 ₦1.6M

-84.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 ₦1.6M

$5,558 ₦7.7M

-79.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₦482.7K

$2,731 ₦3.8M

-87.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 ₦1.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 ₦1.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 ₦392.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

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

Last update for Kano: April 27, 2026

Last update for Abuja: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Kano and $2,487 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Kano vs $45.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $193 per month, with Kano 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

Kano vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kano and Abuja differ by about 203% in total monthly costs ($557 vs $1,687 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $836 in Kano and $2,530 in Abuja to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Kano versus $2,487 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $35.02 in Kano versus $132 in Abuja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kano – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $557 in Kano versus $1,687 in Abuja, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kano but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Kano 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.

Expats usually find Kano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 203% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.