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: $1,123 in Lagos versus $1,700 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,882 in Lagos versus $2,793 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,641 in Lagos versus $3,886 in Abuja.

Living in Lagos costs roughly 34% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lagos is 16% below, Abuja is 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 ₦3,551

$1.97 ₦2,684

32.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.01 ₦66.7K

$45.77 ₦62.3K

7.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ₦7,193

$5.68 ₦7,732

-7.04%

Cappuccino

$2.17 ₦2,955

$2.52 ₦3,426

-13.89%

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

$0.36 ₦492

$0.50 ₦687

-28.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₦300

$0.42 ₦566

-47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 ₦1,078

$1.11 ₦1,506

-28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₦1,897

$1.14 ₦1,551

21.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₦3,183

$3.06 ₦4,161

-23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₦1,698

$1.32 ₦1,793

-5.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₦3,037

$2.38 ₦3,244

-6.30%

Eggs

$1.68 ₦2,287

$1.57 ₦2,132

7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 ₦8,375

$5.39 ₦7,339

14.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ₦5,844

$4.45 ₦6,058

-3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.25 ₦7,154

$3.88 ₦5,287

35.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ₦4,742

$3.10 ₦4,222

12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₦2,801

$1.77 ₦2,414

16.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ₦3,011

$2.11 ₦2,869

4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₦3,105

$1.68 ₦2,285

35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 ₦3,271

$2.14 ₦2,908

12.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ₦2,753

$2.53 ₦3,447

-20.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₦2,746

$0.58 ₦788

248.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦529

$0.31 ₦427

25.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₦1,727

$2.43 ₦3,305

-47.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.49 ₦3,397

$5.68 ₦7,741

-56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₦856

$1.06 ₦1,445

-40.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₦1,196

$1.42 ₦1,928

-38.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ₦934

$0.64 ₦877

7.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.96 ₦50.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 ₦1,702

$0.91 ₦1,234

37.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 ₦3,048

$1.06 ₦1,445

111.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 ₦6,368

$4.40 ₦5,991

6.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₦1,070

$0.83 ₦1,132

-4.82%

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

$20.2K ₦27.5M

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

$20.7K ₦28.2M

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

$41.11 ₦56.0K

$31.22 ₦42.5K

31.68%

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

$10.16 ₦13.8K

$10.68 ₦14.5K

-4.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.75 ₦46.0K

$42.07 ₦57.3K

-19.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.68 ₦41.8K

$44.35 ₦60.4K

-30.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.80 ₦17.4K

$10.95 ₦14.9K

16.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ₦8,577

$8.16 ₦11.1K

-22.79%

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

$84.5 ₦115.1K

$133 ₦180.8K

-36.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,314 ₦3.2M

$1,969 ₦2.7M

17.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.07 ₦26.0K

$29.33 ₦39.9K

-34.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.51 ₦33.4K

$28.29 ₦38.5K

-13.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ₦88.5K

$68.6 ₦93.4K

-5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.7 ₦78.5K

$84.8 ₦115.5K

-32.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 ₦1.5M

$2,485 ₦3.4M

-56.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₦861.1K

$1,167 ₦1.6M

-45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,746 ₦3.7M

$5,456 ₦7.4M

-49.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 ₦1.8M

$2,666 ₦3.6M

-49.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,278 ₦4.5M

$1,106 ₦1.5M

196.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,622 ₦2.2M

$362 ₦493.6K

347.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$116 ₦158.0K

$168 ₦228.7K

-30.92%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Abuja: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,087 in Lagos and $2,485 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 45% 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: $49.00 in Lagos vs $46.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,123 vs $1,700 including rent). Lagos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Abuja earns 45% less. 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: $1,087 in Lagos versus $2,485 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $84.5 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 $49.00 versus $46.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,123 in Lagos versus $1,700 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 51% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.