Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Abuja Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Abuja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,066 in Lagos versus $1,661 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,153 in Lagos versus $2,819 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,241 in Lagos versus $3,976 in Abuja.

Living in Lagos is roughly 24% more expensive than in Abuja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lagos 55% above, Abuja 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.01 €13.99

$2.03 ₦2,794

688.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 €44.93

$44.41 ₦61.2K

15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 €7.21

$5.60 ₦7,714

47.32%

Cappuccino

$2.30 €2.01

$2.56 ₦3,525

-10.16%

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

$2.30 €2.01

$0.50 ₦695

360.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.46

$0.39 ₦535

328.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.44

$1.11 ₦1,534

254.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.75

$1.13 ₦1,560

178.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.98

$3.12 ₦4,305

-64.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.41

$1.30 ₦1,798

24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.51 ₦3,458

-12.75%

Eggs

$3.41 €2.98

$1.56 ₦2,155

118.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 €10.68

$5.26 ₦7,252

132.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 €6.42

$4.62 ₦6,367

59.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.49 €10.04

$4.00 ₦5,508

187.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 €2.50

$3.00 ₦4,128

-4.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.76 ₦2,419

-14.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 €1.28

$2.18 ₦3,008

-33.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 €2.44

$1.69 ₦2,329

65.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.05 ₦2,831

7.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.44 ₦3,368

-8.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 €1.40

$0.58 ₦795

177.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.29 ₦393

179.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 €5.40

$2.46 ₦3,390

151.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.67 €5.83

$5.48 ₦7,545

21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.06 ₦1,457

40.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.18

$1.45 ₦1,998

72.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$0.70 ₦958

224.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.19 €36.87

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 €2.96

$0.91 ₦1,254

272.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 €0.75

$1.08 ₦1,486

-20.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.64 €15.41

$4.42 ₦6,092

299.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.81 ₦1,118

143.21%

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

$35.4K €30.9K

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

$39.6K €34.6K

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

$117 €102

$30.08 ₦41.5K

289.26%

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

$21.92 €19.15

$10.81 ₦14.9K

102.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.29 €38.70

$40.89 ₦56.4K

8.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 €49.57

$44.03 ₦60.7K

28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.64 €25.02

$10.63 ₦14.6K

169.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 €5.67

$8.27 ₦11.4K

-21.52%

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

$561 €490

$133 ₦183.3K

321.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,329 €6,404

$1,996 ₦2.8M

267.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 €46.59

$30.06 ₦41.4K

77.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.10 €21.06

$28.56 ₦39.4K

-15.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 €62.3

$67.9 ₦93.6K

4.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 €61.1

$85.5 ₦117.8K

-18.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 €1,054

$2,418 ₦3.3M

-50.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 €1,016

$1,167 ₦1.6M

-0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 €1,764

$5,536 ₦7.6M

-63.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 €1,922

$2,634 ₦3.6M

-16.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,992 €3,487

$688 ₦947.9K

480.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,984 €4,354

$367 ₦506.4K

1256.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,264 €1,105

$166 ₦229.2K

660.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

22.5

-77.73%

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

Last update for Lagos: July 13, 2026

Last update for Abuja: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,207 in Lagos and $2,418 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lagos pays 660% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Lagos vs $44.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $190 per month, with Abuja 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

Lagos vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lagos and Abuja differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,066 vs $1,661 including rent). Abuja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 660% higher in Lagos, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,207 in Lagos versus $2,418 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Lagos versus $133 in Abuja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Abuja – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $51.0 in Lagos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,661 in Abuja versus $2,066 in Lagos, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Abuja but tight or insufficient in Lagos. The gap between the two cities makes Abuja 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, Lagos and Abuja 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 Abuja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Lagos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.