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: $960 in Lagos versus $1,087 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,873 in Lagos versus $2,038 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,785 in Lagos versus $2,990 in Abuja.

Living in Lagos costs roughly 12% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lagos 30% lower, Abuja 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 ₦4,980

$2.19 ₦2,918

70.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.00 ₦65.2K

$29.76 ₦39.6K

64.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 ₦9,988

$4.59 ₦6,108

63.62%

Cappuccino

$2.88 ₦3,830

$3.37 ₦4,479

-14.54%

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

$0.42 ₦555

$0.52 ₦691

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₦335

$0.70 ₦934

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₦1,301

$1.06 ₦1,416

-7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₦2,623

$2.13 ₦2,840

-7.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 ₦4,219

$3.61 ₦4,806

-12.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₦1,873

$1.27 ₦1,694

11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ₦1,609

$2.25 ₦2,994

-46.22%

Eggs

$2.28 ₦3,028

$1.84 ₦2,444

23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.43 ₦4,566

$10.96 ₦14.6K

-68.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ₦5,052

$5.29 ₦7,038

-28.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.50 ₦5,988

$5.78 ₦7,696

-22.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₦2,170

$1.96 ₦2,613

-16.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ₦1,660

$1.49 ₦1,980

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₦1,446

$1.53 ₦2,040

-28.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ₦1,764

$2.33 ₦3,100

-42.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,823

$1.85 ₦2,461

-25.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ₦1,803

$2.36 ₦3,135

-42.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₦1,200

$0.54 ₦724

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦492

$0.37 ₦486

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.57 ₦763

$2.03 ₦2,696

-71.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.58 ₦3,435

$5.87 ₦7,810

-56.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦671

$1.24 ₦1,651

-59.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦607

$1.85 ₦2,464

-75.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ₦567

$0.38 ₦509

13.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ₦25.7K

$32.15 ₦42.8K

-39.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₦934

$0.59 ₦779

18.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 ₦1,277

$0.81 ₦1,081

18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ₦2,956

$1.92 ₦2,549

15.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₦1,113

$0.54 ₦717

55.56%

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

$11.2K ₦14.9M

$26.6K ₦35.4M

-57.81%

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

$13.6K ₦18.0M

$17.8K ₦23.7M

-24.05%

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

$110 ₦146.8K

$112 ₦149.0K

-1.46%

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

$16.11 ₦21.4K

$6.27 ₦8,345

156.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.07 ₦42.7K

$29.02 ₦38.6K

10.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.82 ₦35.7K

$36.34 ₦48.3K

-26.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.67 ₦8,879

$10.87 ₦14.5K

-38.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 ₦6,155

$4.83 ₦6,422

-4.14%

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

$672 ₦894.0K

$45.61 ₦60.7K

1373.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K ₦26.9M

$3,087 ₦4.1M

554.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.78 ₦19.7K

$25.48 ₦33.9K

-41.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.02 ₦24.0K

$60.2 ₦80.1K

-70.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.66 ₦47.4K

$78.8 ₦104.9K

-54.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.67 ₦63.4K

$106 ₦140.8K

-54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 ₦950.9K

$1,374 ₦1.8M

-47.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ₦563.6K

$447 ₦594.4K

-5.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,808 ₦3.7M

$3,314 ₦4.4M

-15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 ₦2.0M

$1,546 ₦2.1M

-4.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,185 ₦4.2M

$690 ₦918.5K

361.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,622 ₦2.2M

$368 ₦489.0K

341.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$119 ₦158.6K

$170 ₦225.9K

-29.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.05

22.5

-19.78%

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

Last update for Lagos: August 30, 2026

Last update for Abuja: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $715 in Lagos and $1,374 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abuja pays 42% 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 $30.00 in Abuja. Groceries flip the comparison at $153 vs $217, with Lagos cheaper for home cooking.

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 13% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $1,087 including rent). Lagos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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: $715 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 $960 per month in Lagos versus $1,087 in Abuja – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lagos runs roughly 66% less than in Abuja. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $960 in Lagos versus $1,087 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 13% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.