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: $2,113 in Lagos versus $1,087 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,258 in Lagos versus $2,038 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,404 in Lagos versus $2,990 in Abuja.

Living in Lagos is roughly 94% more expensive than in Abuja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lagos is 54% above, Abuja is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 €14.89

$2.19 ₦2,908

688.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 €50.6

$29.76 ₦39.5K

97.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 €7.19

$4.59 ₦6,088

81.70%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.41

$3.37 ₦4,465

-17.21%

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

$1.55 €1.34

$0.52 ₦689

198.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$0.70 ₦931

81.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.03

$1.06 ₦1,412

231.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.05

$2.13 ₦2,830

65.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.96

$3.61 ₦4,791

-69.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.27 ₦1,688

1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.25 ₦2,984

-29.33%

Eggs

$3.96 €3.42

$1.84 ₦2,436

115.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.19 €15.69

$10.96 ₦14.5K

65.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 €6.93

$5.29 ₦7,015

51.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 €13.58

$5.78 ₦7,671

172.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 €2.61

$1.96 ₦2,604

54.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.49 ₦1,973

-4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$1.53 ₦2,033

59.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.33 ₦3,090

20.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.85 ₦2,453

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.36 ₦3,125

-10.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.14

$0.54 ₦722

144.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 €0.34

$0.37 ₦485

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 €5.53

$2.03 ₦2,687

215.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 €5.99

$5.87 ₦7,785

18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.24 ₦1,646

33.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 €2.22

$1.85 ₦2,456

38.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.54

$0.38 ₦507

368.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.51 €30.64

$32.15 ₦42.6K

10.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.89

$0.59 ₦776

859.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.93

$0.81 ₦1,078

32.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.73 €15.30

$1.92 ₦2,540

823.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.54 ₦715

264.81%

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

$35.1K €30.3K

$26.6K ₦35.2M

32.03%

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

$36.6K €31.5K

$17.8K ₦23.7M

104.80%

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

$152 €131

$112 ₦148.5K

35.71%

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

$22.17 €19.13

$6.27 ₦8,318

253.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.07 €34.58

$29.02 ₦38.5K

38.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 €48.97

$36.34 ₦48.2K

56.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.01 €25.03

$10.87 ₦14.4K

166.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 €5.73

$4.83 ₦6,401

37.47%

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

$554 €478

$45.61 ₦60.5K

1114.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.1K

$3,087 ₦4.1M

279.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 €72.8

$25.48 ₦33.8K

231.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.46 €40.09

$60.2 ₦79.8K

-22.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 €65.3

$78.8 ₦104.5K

-3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €91.9

$106 ₦140.3K

0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 €1,056

$1,374 ₦1.8M

-10.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 €990

$447 ₦592.5K

156.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,208

$3,314 ₦4.4M

-22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 €1,781

$1,546 ₦2.1M

33.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,064 €3,507

$690 ₦915.5K

488.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,113 €4,412

$368 ₦487.5K

1290.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,270 €1,096

$170 ₦225.2K

647.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.54

22.5

-84.27%

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

Last update for Lagos: August 31, 2026

Last update for Abuja: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,224 in Lagos and $1,374 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lagos pays 648% 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: $59.0 in Lagos vs $30.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $217 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 94% in total monthly costs ($2,113 vs $1,087 including rent). Abuja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 648% 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: $1,224 in Lagos versus $1,374 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,113 per month in Lagos versus $1,087 in Abuja – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Abuja runs roughly 10% less than in Lagos. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,087 in Abuja versus $2,113 in Lagos, a $2,000 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 94% less than in Lagos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.