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: $2,071 in Lagos versus $1,700 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,109 in Lagos versus $2,793 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,147 in Lagos versus $3,886 in Abuja.

Living in Lagos is roughly 22% more expensive than Abuja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lagos 55% above, Abuja 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.44 €14.14

$1.97 ₦2,684

734.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 €45.56

$45.77 ₦62.3K

15.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 €7.05

$5.68 ₦7,732

44.37%

Cappuccino

$2.37 €2.04

$2.52 ₦3,426

-5.95%

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

$2.30 €1.98

$0.50 ₦687

360.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.42 ₦566

309.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 €3.45

$1.11 ₦1,506

261.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 €2.68

$1.14 ₦1,551

172.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$3.06 ₦4,161

-61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.32 ₦1,793

21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.38 ₦3,244

-9.24%

Eggs

$3.55 €3.06

$1.57 ₦2,132

126.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 €10.33

$5.39 ₦7,339

122.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 €6.30

$4.45 ₦6,058

64.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 €9.58

$3.88 ₦5,287

186.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 €2.46

$3.10 ₦4,222

-7.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.77 ₦2,414

-15.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 €1.26

$2.11 ₦2,869

-30.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 €2.35

$1.68 ₦2,285

63.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.14 ₦2,908

3.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.53 ₦3,447

-7.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$0.58 ₦788

179.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.66

$0.31 ₦427

145.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 €5.22

$2.43 ₦3,305

149.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.55 €3.06

$5.68 ₦7,741

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.06 ₦1,445

35.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.22

$1.42 ₦1,928

81.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.03

$0.64 ₦877

268.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.34 €36.42

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 €3.06

$0.91 ₦1,234

291.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.06 ₦1,445

-19.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.01 €14.64

$4.40 ₦5,991

286.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.83 ₦1,132

131.33%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

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

$39.8K €34.2K

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

$115 €99.2

$31.22 ₦42.5K

269.35%

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

$21.69 €18.65

$10.68 ₦14.5K

103.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.29 €38.10

$42.07 ₦57.3K

5.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 €49.02

$44.35 ₦60.4K

28.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 €25.29

$10.95 ₦14.9K

168.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 €5.60

$8.16 ₦11.1K

-20.22%

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

$560 €482

$133 ₦180.8K

321.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,347 €6,320

$1,969 ₦2.7M

273.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 €46.74

$29.33 ₦39.9K

85.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.72 €20.40

$28.29 ₦38.5K

-16.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 €60.6

$68.6 ₦93.4K

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.4 €58.9

$84.8 ₦115.5K

-19.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 €1,037

$2,485 ₦3.4M

-51.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 €1,003

$1,167 ₦1.6M

-0.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 €1,692

$5,456 ₦7.4M

-63.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 €1,866

$2,666 ₦3.6M

-18.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,127 €3,550

$1,106 ₦1.5M

273.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,015 €4,314

$362 ₦493.6K

1283.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,302 €1,120

$168 ₦228.7K

675.32%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Abuja: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,205 in Lagos and $2,485 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lagos pays 675% 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: $53.0 in Lagos vs $46.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 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 22% in total monthly costs ($2,071 vs $1,700 including rent). Abuja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lagos pays 675% more on average, 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: $1,205 in Lagos versus $2,485 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $560 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 $46.00 versus $53.0 in Lagos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,700 in Abuja versus $2,071 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 22% less than in Lagos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.