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: $1,146 in Lagos versus $1,661 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,925 in Lagos versus $2,819 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Lagos versus $3,976 in Abuja.

Living in Lagos costs roughly 31% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lagos is 14% below, Abuja is 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.55 ₦3,508

$2.03 ₦2,794

25.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.52 ₦68.2K

$44.41 ₦61.2K

11.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 ₦7,487

$5.60 ₦7,714

-3.04%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₦3,006

$2.56 ₦3,525

-14.84%

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

$0.34 ₦466

$0.50 ₦695

-32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₦304

$0.39 ₦535

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 ₦1,163

$1.11 ₦1,534

-24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₦1,902

$1.13 ₦1,560

22.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₦3,220

$3.12 ₦4,305

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₦1,657

$1.30 ₦1,798

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ₦3,215

$2.51 ₦3,458

-7.17%

Eggs

$1.75 ₦2,408

$1.56 ₦2,155

12.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.31 ₦8,692

$5.26 ₦7,252

19.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ₦5,918

$4.62 ₦6,367

-7.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 ₦7,413

$4.00 ₦5,508

34.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₦4,870

$3.00 ₦4,128

17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 ₦2,782

$1.76 ₦2,419

14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ₦3,004

$2.18 ₦3,008

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,315

$1.69 ₦2,329

42.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₦3,174

$2.05 ₦2,831

12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ₦2,684

$2.44 ₦3,368

-20.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 ₦2,640

$0.58 ₦795

231.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₦494

$0.29 ₦393

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.30 ₦1,788

$2.46 ₦3,390

-47.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.48 ₦3,411

$5.48 ₦7,545

-54.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₦870

$1.06 ₦1,457

-40.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₦1,275

$1.45 ₦1,998

-36.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₦1,025

$0.70 ₦958

5.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.56 ₦50.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 ₦1,721

$0.91 ₦1,254

37.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 ₦3,100

$1.08 ₦1,486

108.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.81 ₦6,628

$4.42 ₦6,092

8.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₦1,085

$0.81 ₦1,118

-2.47%

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

$20.5K ₦28.3M

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

$20.3K ₦28.0M

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

$41.41 ₦57.1K

$30.08 ₦41.5K

37.67%

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

$10.12 ₦13.9K

$10.81 ₦14.9K

-6.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.36 ₦47.4K

$40.89 ₦56.4K

-15.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.49 ₦43.4K

$44.03 ₦60.7K

-28.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.38 ₦17.1K

$10.63 ₦14.6K

16.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ₦8,794

$8.27 ₦11.4K

-22.85%

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

$83.1 ₦114.6K

$133 ₦183.3K

-37.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,314 ₦3.2M

$1,996 ₦2.8M

15.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.39 ₦26.7K

$30.06 ₦41.4K

-35.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.20 ₦33.3K

$28.56 ₦39.4K

-15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 ₦90.6K

$67.9 ₦93.6K

-3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.2 ₦77.4K

$85.5 ₦117.8K

-34.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 ₦1.5M

$2,418 ₦3.3M

-55.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ₦872.3K

$1,167 ₦1.6M

-45.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 ₦3.7M

$5,536 ₦7.6M

-51.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 ₦1.9M

$2,634 ₦3.6M

-47.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,219 ₦4.4M

$688 ₦947.9K

368.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,598 ₦2.2M

$367 ₦506.4K

334.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$118 ₦163.0K

$166 ₦229.2K

-28.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

22.5

-27.42%

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

Last update for Lagos: July 14, 2026

Last update for Abuja: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,083 in Lagos and $2,418 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 41% 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: $50.0 in Lagos vs $44.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,146 vs $1,661 including rent). Lagos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Abuja. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,083 in Lagos versus $2,418 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $83.1 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 Lagos – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $44.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,146 in Lagos versus $1,661 in Abuja, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lagos but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Lagos 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 Lagos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.