Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Cotacachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Cotacachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Lagos versus $724 in Cotacachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,873 in Lagos versus $1,169 in Cotacachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,785 in Lagos versus $1,615 in Cotacachi.

Living in Lagos is roughly 33% more expensive than in Cotacachi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lagos 30% lower, Cotacachi 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 ₦4,980

$4.06 $4.06

-7.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.00 ₦65.2K

$26.48 $26.48

85.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 ₦9,988

$4.40 $4.40

70.68%

Cappuccino

$2.88 ₦3,830

$2.22 $2.22

29.73%

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

$0.42 ₦555

$1.31 $1.31

-67.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₦335

$0.84 $0.84

-70.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₦1,301

$1.95 $1.95

-49.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₦2,623

$4.03 $4.03

-51.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 ₦4,219

$1.10 $1.10

188.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₦1,873

$1.54 $1.54

-8.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ₦1,609

$1.51 $1.51

-19.87%

Eggs

$2.28 ₦3,028

$2.15 $2.15

6.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.43 ₦4,566

$6.24 $6.24

-45.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ₦5,052

$5.65 $5.65

-32.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.50 ₦5,988

$7.17 $7.17

-37.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₦2,170

$2.26 $2.26

-27.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ₦1,660

$1.18 $1.18

5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₦1,446

$1.34 $1.34

-18.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ₦1,764

$1.14 $1.14

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₦1,823

$1.21 $1.21

13.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ₦1,803

$1.02 $1.02

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₦1,200

$0.84 $0.84

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₦492

$1.06 $1.06

-65.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.57 ₦763

$4.56 $4.56

-87.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.58 ₦3,435

$7.39 $7.39

-65.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦671

$1.57 $1.57

-68.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₦607

$3.07 $3.07

-85.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ₦567

$0.41 $0.41

4.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ₦25.7K

$15.12 $15.12

27.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₦934

$1.28 $1.28

-45.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 ₦1,277

$0.92 $0.92

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ₦2,956

$9.87 $9.87

-77.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₦1,113

$0.77 $0.77

9.09%

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

$11.2K ₦14.9M

$20.9K $20.9K

-46.44%

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

$13.6K ₦18.0M

$28.3K $28.3K

-52.15%

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

$110 ₦146.8K

$28.20 $28.20

291.35%

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

$16.11 ₦21.4K

$12.61 $12.61

27.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.07 ₦42.7K

$26.91 $26.91

19.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.82 ₦35.7K

$30.32 $30.32

-11.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.67 ₦8,879

$10.02 $10.02

-33.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 ₦6,155

$6.90 $6.90

-32.90%

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

$672 ₦894.0K

$74.4 $74.4

803.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K ₦26.9M

$2,975 $2,975

578.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.78 ₦19.7K

$41.65 $41.65

-64.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.02 ₦24.0K

$42.59 $42.59

-57.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.66 ₦47.4K

$95.7 $95.7

-62.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.67 ₦63.4K

$59.3 $59.3

-19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 ₦950.9K

$267 $267

167.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ₦563.6K

$190 $190

123.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,808 ₦3.7M

$483 $483

481.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 ₦2.0M

$407 $407

264.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,185 ₦4.2M

$600 $600

431.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,622 ₦2.2M

$519 $519

212.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$119 ₦158.6K

$428 $428

-72.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.05

10.12

78.36%

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

Last update for Lagos: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cotacachi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $715 in Lagos and $267 in Cotacachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cotacachi pays 259% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Lagos vs $26.00 in Cotacachi. Groceries flip the comparison at $153 vs $190, 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 Cotacachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lagos and Cotacachi differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $724 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 259% lower in Cotacachi. 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 $267 in Cotacachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cotacachi runs roughly 28% less than in Lagos. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $672 in Lagos versus $74.4 in Cotacachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $724 in Cotacachi versus $960 in Lagos, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cotacachi but tight or insufficient in Lagos. The gap between the two cities makes Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Lagos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.